Project Overview
The proposed GoFarm Incubator Expansion Project is an extension of
GoFarm's nonprofit mission to support beginning farmers in increasing
the local supply of fresh food in Colorado. The goal of the project is
to scale up GoFarm's incubator pilot project to support a sustainable
incubator program that expands the capacity of beginning farmers to
launch new sustainable farming businesses and enhance their success and
sustainability. The target audience is beginning farmers who have
limited resources and/or military veterans who are interested in
learning more about specialty crop production in an urban environment.
GoFarm will collaborate with our established partners, Jefferson
Conservation District, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Colorado State
University Extension to offer three educational track options to program
participants. These tracks (externships, internships, and
apprenticeships) require a varying level of commitment and training to
provide participants an option that best fits their needs. Participant
training will occur through classroom courses, in-field workshops,
individual mentoring and technical assistance. The most intensive
educational track, the apprenticeship, requires a two-year commitment
during which the farmer will be given free access to an urban
farm-training plot. These farmers will receive a stipend and revenue
from the sale of specialty crops produced on their plots. Apprentice
graduates will complete the program with everything they need to launch
their own farming business- 1) knowledge and skills required for running
a farming business, 2) long-term access to farmable land, and 3)
priority access to a consumer market through GoFarm's Local Food Share
Program.
Number of Participants: 49
Promotional Materials
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Educational Materials
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Reports & Evaluations
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Individual Stories / Examples of Success