TRAINING & RESOURCES 206 PEOPLE ATTENDED 9 DIFFERENT BIZ DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

Transcription

1 A N N U A L R E P O R T

2 TRAINING & RESOURCES 206 PEOPLE ATTENDED 9 DIFFERENT BIZ DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS Making a living on 1.5 acres Weed management Buying a Farm The Dirt on Soil Crop Planning Essentials Tools & Techniques Food Safety Pastured Pigs Pastured Poultry

3 MORE TRAINING & RESOURCES 206 PEOPLE ATTENDED 9 DIFFERENT BIZ DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS 184 PEOPLE ATTENDED 10 DIFFERENT SKILLS BUILDING FARM TOURS Making a living on 1.5 acres Starting greenhouse seedlings Weed management Irrigation and washing systems Buying a Farm Season extension The Dirt on Soil Intro to Honey Bees Crop Planning Value Added Kitchens Essentials Tools and Techniques Growing Cut Flowers Food Safety Different CSA Models Pastured Pigs Growing Hops Pastured Poultry Sheep and Cheese

4 MORE 2014 TRAINING AND RESOURCES COURSES 11 Exploring Your New Farm Dream participants 21 people took Digging Into Farming: Planning Your New Farm Business 110 PEOPLE ATTENDED MEET AND GREETS & SOCIAL EVENTS FarmLINK Lucky in Land Intern Meet and Greet Ecological Farmer Hootenanny Plus other outreach at Local Food Fest, Jack Johnson concert fundraiser, Organic Conference, and more.

5 2014 EVENTS FARMSTART CO-HOSTED THE 1ST ECOLOGICAL FARMERS OF ONTARIO CONFERENCE Presented in-partnership with the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario and others. 283 people participated in 29 workshops Music and dancing both evenings, morning yoga, hike, etc. This is the FARMER event we ve been dreaming of MCVEAN FARM PICNIC In partnership with the West End Food Coop and the Parkdale Activity and Recreation Centre s Ride 4 Real Food 211 people visited McVean for a family picnic Despite increased advertising and improved communications we ran the event at a loss due to low attendance.

6 MCVEAN START-UP FARM (BRAMPTON) FARMER COLLECTIVE: We began exploring the establishment of a farmer-led management structure at McVean for those incubator farmers who have established their businesses and are ready to move on from FarmStart s support, but have not yet secured land elsewhere. START-UP FARM: The incubator program continues on 5-6 acres. Participants can rent up to 1 acre of land and tenure will be limited to 3 years. VEGETABLE TRAINING FARM: We developed a structured instructive learning space at McVean, complete with a new greenhouse for season extension. COMMUNITY GARDEN PLOTS: Since 2013, the demand for small plots to grow produce for family consumption in the local community has increased. We ve earmarked 3 acres at McVean for this profitable add-on that helps engage the local community.

7 LANDMARK START-UP FARM (HAMILTON) LIVESTOCK TRAINING FARM: We raised a poultry flock on an experimental basis. In total 200 meat birds, 8 turkeys and 20 layers were raised. Infrastructure and equipment was built to accommodate the maximum amount allowed under supply management for non-quota holding members. START-UP FARM: 4 Farm enterprises operated on approximately 4 acres in 2014.

8 NEW INITIATIVE: CHATHAM-KENT A young farmer from Chatham approached FarmStart in January 2014 to explore the possibility of stetting up a FarmStart type of program in the region. We received United Way-Chatham Kent funding for a needs assessment grant. Since July 2014 we have been interviewing a cross section of people in the farming and related sectors to assess and understand the needs in the region. In December 2014 Ontario Trillium Foundation (Windsor Region) provided funding to extend this work to a year ( til Nov 2015).

9 SEED CAPITAL PROGRAM 2014 PILOT: Hamilton Food Share (HFS) provided $12,000 to FarmStart s Seed Capital Program. Four farmers received up to $3,000 for start-up costs such as seeds, farm inputs, and training fees. In exchange, the farmers each supply approximately 3,400 lbs of produce to the HFS Program.

10 NEW FARMER INITIATIVE FarmStart spearheaded the NFI in collaboration with Food Secure Canada and the National Farmers Union Youth Caucus with the goal of building a national network and platform that would help inform and influence policy at the national and provincial level, specifically around new farmers issues. In 2014 we accomplished: Webinars to engage new farmer stakeholders, and to encourage effective program development and implementation. The New Farmer Policy Round-Up that held consultations in the fall of 2014 with new farmer stakeholders across Canada. The New Farmer Roundtable brought together new farmer leaders at the Food Secure Canada Conference in Halifax (November 2014) to expand the national knowledge base of barriers, needs and opportunities for new farmers and build a platform for new regional and federal developments.

11 2014 FINANCIAL REPORT Expenses $757,059 Revenue $751,522 Operating $116,223 Grants $608,037 Workshops $33,505 Farms $36,620 Consulting $65,472 Other $2,500 Salaries $316,886 Conferences, meetings, travel $28,093 Marketing & promotion $14,719 Contract services $190,089 Farms $91, Loss $5,537 General Operating Fund Balance $46,882

12 OUR TEAM STAFF BOARD Christie Young, ED Melissa Watkins, Programs and Operations Sri Sethuratnam, Partnerships & Evaluation Ian McCormick, Start-Up Farms Program Rebecca Hodges, Training and Resources Cherie Bauman, Admin Manager Saulis Tribinevicius, McVean Farm Patrick Anderson, Hamilton Farm Mark Grignon, McVean and Hamilton Farms Margaret Graves, Farmlands Project Ricardo Ramirez, Independent Researcher and Consultant in Rural and International Development Andre Hueniken, Hueniken Law Jeff Boesch, Cedar Down Farm David Cohlmeyer, Sustainable Good Foods Consultant Rodolfo Martinez, Ontario Immigrant Network

13 r Fo. a ad n Ca s os r ac t.ca d r an sta io ar farm t On ww. t ou it w h g is ou e v r h s s t plea r e tn ers r pa rtn y a an p m our ith of w k list r wo te e ple W m co S R E R U O F D N U G N I P N T AR a

14