Conferences
Innovative Lean Farming and Climate-Smart Agriculture Strategies
Cameron Farlow
Summary
Organic Growers School (OGS) educated and supported beginning, small-scale, and sustainable farmers across the Southern Appalachian region, with specific emphasis on Western North Carolina, and a focus on managing and reducing production, financial, and human risk. From March 2024 through December 2025, OGS implemented a comprehensive, multi-format training initiative designed to meet farmers where they were in experience, geography, and learning style.
The project delivered one-day, two-day, and half-day in-person trainings; a multi-part online workshop series; on-farm field days; one-on-one consultative assessments; and facilitated cohort-based peer learning. Core content emphasized Climate-Smart Agriculture practices alongside Lean Farm management systems, supporting farmers in evaluating their operations, identifying inefficiencies, and making strategic, values-aligned decisions. Learning from regional peers played a central role, strengthening community connections while increasing participants’ capacity to adapt to changing environmental and economic conditions.
Additional programming addressed enterprise development, communication strategies, and financial planning to further support whole-farm resilience. These risk management opportunities are often limited or inaccessible for beginning and small-scale farmers in the region.
Through this integrated approach, OGS supported over 500 farmers and growers. Participants demonstrated increased knowledge, confidence, and practical application of tools and systems related to production, financial, and human risk management, contributing to more resilient, adaptive, and economically viable farm operations across the Southern Appalachians.
Presentation Materials
Details
| Conference | 2026 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference |
| Presentation Type | Poster |