BFRDP Projects

Peer to Peer Organic Whole Farm Training with Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas
[Progress Report]

Award Amount: $597,886
Grant Program: 2020 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program 2021 Awards
Project Director: Diana Garcia-Padilla
Email: hopeforsfs@yahoo.com
Organization: HOPE for Small Farm Sustainability

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  • Overview
  • Results
  • Materials
  • Delivery Area
  • Comments

Project Overview

In the second year, our program has engaged over 1,150 BFR individuals in person, providing farming and ranching training. Factoring in our digital outreach, including social media and online lessons, our reach expands to over 79,000 individuals. These numbers were obtained through various channels including social media, workshops, conferences, and our 6-week BFR cohorts, the latter of which has seen the participation of 68 individuals.
The number of individuals participating in our cohorts did not significantly increase in our second year, however, HOPE saw an increase in the number of participants who were committed to learning on a higher level and found greater success in their farming ventures.
An example of the positive impact our practical skills workshops are having is the success of Daniel Reza, the owner and operator of Green Wing Microgreens. Shortly after Reza started growing microgreens for his family, he happened upon HOPE’s social media post for an “Intro to Growing Food” workshop. Reza says he learned more about the magic of soil, about proper tool usage, and the importance of the foundation he is using to grow his microgreens. With his enhanced knowledge and opportunities found at HOPE, he has now added an additional source of revenue to his household. He not only sells his organically grown microgreens at area famer’s markets up to four times each month, but now, here at HOPEs indoor market, his products are available for sale to the public four days a week.
As we move into the third year, we plan to invite more guest experts to speak at our workshops, provide more individualized training and personal visits with growers, and offer more online resources for farmers across the region to be successful in the field, as well as in operating their farming businesses.

Number of Participants: 1156

Results

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Reports & Evaluations

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Delivery Area

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Individual Stories / Examples of Success