LIVESTOCK MENTORING. SARE LNE03-184:Integrated Learning Courses for Sustainable Livestock Production

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1 LIVESTOCK MENTORING SARE LNE03-184:Integrated Learning Courses for Sustainable Livestock Production

2 Overview To increase the viability of livestock operations by providing new tools and information in ways that measure improvement in management and overall success of a farm operation. 1. Organize four learning courses 2. Farmer to farmer mentoring 3. On-farm technical workshops

3 Learning Courses Curriculum Development: Input from farmers, academics, NGOs, governmental organization Basic to more advanced curricula Course Design 3 classes per course Hands-on & classroom environments Evaluation Post class & course surveys Longer term follow-up

4 The Dirt on Soil Course Coordinator: Heather Darby, UVM Extension Class One: Soils: The Basics Class Two: Soils: Beyond the Basics Class Three: Forages from the Ground Up Dr. Fred Magdoff and sheep farmer Charlie Jackson

5 Greening the Farm Course Coordinator: Gwyneth Harris, UVM Ctr. Sustainable Agric. Class One - Getting Started with Grass Class Two - Building the System: Tools, Equipment & Strategies Class Three - Grazing the Vermont Landscape Tyler Webb instructs class participants on how to build a watering system.

6 Livestock Nutrition & Health Course Coordinator: Sarah Flack, NOFA-VT Class One - Building the Foundation of Health: Nutrition & Prevention Class Two - Keeping them Healthy: Preventive Health Care Class Three - Natural Health Care of Livestock: Treatment Materials and Strategies Dr. Hue Karremann instructs the students on treatment strategies

7 Marketing Your Livestock Products Course Coordinator: Deb Heleba, UVM Ctr. Sustainable Agric. Class One - Getting Started: Finding Market Opportunities Class Two - Setting Your Price and Understanding the Regulations Class Three - Promotion: Telling Your Story, Selling Your Product Chef Harv the keynote for the marketing class

8 Farmer To Farmer Mentoring Up to15 participants per class could sign up with a farmer mentor Cost to work with a Farmer Mentor was $100 per farm Farmer Mentor was paid $20 per hour for his/her time 25 hours of mentoring John Rutter teaches Steve & Karen Getz the art of building fence.

9 Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont NESARE Integrated Learning Courses for Sustainable Livestock Production Mentor and Mentee Agreement: Name(s) Farm Address Town State Zip Day Phone ( ) Evening Phone ( ) Fax Best Time/Way to Reach You Farmer Mentor you will be working with: * Objectives: What do you hope to achieve: To accomplish this, I will be working with my mentor on the following project(s): Frequency of Meetings and Timeline: Outline how often you plan to meet with one another (by phone, or in person). We recommend that you go to each others farm at least once during the mentor/mentee process. Create a timeline below (25 mentor hours will be paid through this program) including when you expect to finish certain components of your outlined plan. This mentor/mentee agreement covers up to 25 hours of paid mentor time. We ask that the Mentees keep a journal of their experiences and projects.

10 Jack Lazor & Guy Choiniere & John Clark

11 Lani Fondiller & Kristan Doolin

12 Farmer Mentor Relationships Phone In person meetings One way learning Two-way learning Jack Lazor discusses soil amendments with the Clark Family Some relationships continued beyond mentoring contract

13 Farmer Mentor Relationships Challenges Getting Mentors to bill for their time Not all were good at documenting their experiences Some could not initiate meetings on their own Some did not really know what they wanted Finding the time to meet

14 On Farm Technical Workshops Ben Gleason outstanding in his field of wheat

15 On Farm Technical Workshops Aaron King discusses grass specifics with Earl Fournier

16 On-Farm Technical Workshops John Clark Jr. shows off his pastures.

17 On-Farm Technical Workshops Guy Choiniere educates others on the importance of forage quality

18 Performance Targets Of the 60 farmer participants in the learning courses, 40 will develop a work plan with a mentor and will adopt 3 new practices realizing an overall improvement in the sustainability of their farm. Of the 40 that develop a plan and adopt new practices, 12 will hold on-farm technical workshops for at least 240 attendees demonstrating the practices they have learned. Actual Outcomes Total farmer participants for the 4 courses was 160. Total farmer mentor relationships created was 30. Total on-farm technical workshops offered were 12. Total attendance for the on-farm technical workshops was 205 Additional Events: Reunion class for Soils Course, Sustainable Livestock Conference (all course topics included)

19 Partnerships NOFA-VT UVM Extension UVM Dept. of Plant and Soil Science Natural Resource Conservation Service Agency of Natural Resources Highfields Institute Waste Not Resource Solutions Department of Environmental Conservation Vermont Agency of Agriculture University of Maine Maine Organic Farm & Garden Association AgriDynamics Flack Family Farm Lakeview Organic Grains Natural Resource Conservation Districts Butterworks Farm Vermont Pasture Network UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture USDA Risk Management Agency

20 The Learning Continues! It s a Dirt Reunion Sustainable Livestock Conference Offering courses again for farmers Sharing the curriculum Dairy Farmer Archie Blanchers describes his crop rotations! Sharing the model for other farming types