Machinery Sharing Strategies for Small Scale Farmers
Description:
This 35-minute workshop for farmers and educators will look at an option that farmers can use to minimize the additional cost of machinery or labor when scaling up their production to enter new markets. Machinery-sharing among farmers requires a basic understanding of the types of machinery that are successfully shared and the ways in which the machine and/or labor can be shared efficiently and effectively. This workshop will discuss why selecting the right partners for machinery-sharing is important for the partnership to be successful and sustainable. We will analyze and discuss actual machinery sharing arrangements that were implemented by groups of small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers in Iowa.
What Can Annie’s Project Teach Us About Training Women Farmers to Manage Business Risks?
Description: This 35-minute workshop is planned for educators interested in working with women farmers and ranchers. The workshop presenters will discuss women’s learning preferences and adult education methods that can lead to transformational learning. They’ll share how Annie’s Project helps bring together women who want to make good decisions for their farm or ranch business. They’ll give examples of how educators can provide appropriate backdrops or frameworks to help these women have personally meaningful learning experiences. The presenters will highlight some of the impacts and public value that have already been achieved by educators who implemented Annie’s Project methods in southern states. The adult education methods used by Annie’s Project are designed to empower women farmers and ranchers
