Project Overview
Sierra Harvest, a community-based organization that has trained over 100 beginning farmers since 2008, and the University of California Cooperative Extension for Placer and Nevada counties, an agricultural education institution with a century long record in farmer training, are collaborating to create a sequential training pathway to success for beginning farmers. Key objectives are to 1) Expand and enhance Sierra Harvest’s existing farmer education programs so the means of delivery and content are maximally current, useful, convenient, and relevant to beginning foothill farmers; 2) Provide a collaborative training pathway that leverages and integrates the resources and talents of partner organizations to maximize training reach and impact; and 3) Address the need of beginning farmers for land access and security. The long-term goals are for farmers to earn more money, increase market outlets, achieve financially viability, and experience land security. Methods include business and production classes, mentorship, direct-marketing support, lease negotiation and land ownership support, and job and intern placement. In the first year of this grant project 22 beginning farmers and ranchers received in-depth training, and a total of 476 people participated in at least one producer-focused workshop or event. In total, this project will serve 1062 total unique farmers, 210 of whom will receive in-depth training of 15 or more hours of education and support. This collaborative farmer-training program will continue after the grant with funding from individual and business donations, non-federal grants, earned income and University of California state funding.
Number of Participants: 1666
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