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3. 2021 BFRDP Project Director Meeting

Organic Seed Production Trainings: Curriculum, Internships, and Training Intensives

Micaela Colley, Kitt Healy, and Natalia Pinzon

Summary

Organic farmers need access to abundant, high quality, regionally adapted seed in order to be successful. Our project, titled: Organic Seed Production for Beginning Farmers includes an internship/mentorship program, online course, and national co-learning community fostering the next generation of organic seed producers dedicated to serving organic farmers. We have learned profound lessons from the first two years of this project and would be grateful for an opportunity to share with our cohort of BFRDP project leaders. Our presentation topics will include blending online instruction with social networking to create a vibrant online student cohort and shared community experience; engaging in iterative evaluation to respond effectively to student feedback; and expanding from “internship” to “mentorship” opportunities to increase access for socially disadvantaged farmers. Adaptation and flexibility were key in navigating challenges related to Covid-19 including modifying plans for regional hubs of in-person engagement, delivery of bilingual education, and launching a new social networking platform for regional and national community building of beginning seed growers. With an active cohort of 45 students and 20 mentors in 2021, located in every region of the US, our project is now well rooted in the organic seed community and poised to influence a growing number of producers, seed companies, organizations and farmer educators in the years ahead.

Details

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