Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) is a statewide, non-profit organization c onnecting beginning and historically underserved farmers to each other and resource opportunities; ensuring social justice, environmental stewardship, and profitability. 
Hello MIFFS supporters,

April?! The year is really rolling along! What happened to March? We are excited to bring this newsletter packed with information and opportunities. Feel free to contact us to learn more about any items or to let us know about your event.
Each year, MIFFS hosts MFFC, a forum for beginning, small-scale, and culturally diverse farmers to network, learn, and build sustainable family farms. However, we absolutely don’t pull this off alone! The conference planning team is a group of fun, dedicated folks who support the conference in so many ways, including recruiting presenters and developing workshops, sourcing local food, brainstorming the theme and keynote presenters, coordinating the youth track, and more. We’re seeking to add members to our planning team as we kick things off for the 2020 Michigan Family Farms Conference. An introductory meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9 at 10 am . Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in being part of this amazing group!
Thank you for all your support! If there are any questions about the items here or any MIFFS programs, please contact us via email or phone listed below. When we are not out in the field, we are in the office 9am-5pm Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,
The MIFFS Team

Resources & Opportunities:
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is now accepting applications from military veterans who want to attend a week-long Armed to Farm (ATF) training. ATF allows veterans and their spouses to experience sustainable, profitable small-scale farming enterprises and explore agriculture as a viable career. All military veterans, as well as their spouses or farm partners, are welcome to apply. Applications are available at https://www.ncat.org/atf_IN/ and are due by Monday, April 8, 2019. NCAT will notify selected participants by April 12. Armed to Farm will take place May 13-17, in the Crawfordsville, Indiana area. The event is free for those chosen to attend; lodging at the Holiday Inn Express, transportation to local farms, and most meals will be provided. MIFFS will provide reimbursement for travel to and from the event. For more details click here
Since 1988, SARE has awarded numerous grants in every state and Island Protectorate. Aimed at advancing sustainable innovations, these grants add up to an impressive portfolio of sustainable agriculture efforts across the nation. Click here to link to the SARE page listing grant portfolio summary and detailed grants list for Michigan.
Farmer Field School Workshop: Forcing Bulbs, Flowers & Branches for Early Spring Sales. Thursday, May 16, 2019, 9am - 4pm Learn to extend the season for flower sales to capture market opportunities like Mothers' Day and Memorial Day. Lindsay Daschner will share her experience forcing anemone, ranunculus and other flowers in bulb crates and in-ground in her gutter connect greenhouse, as well as coppicing woody materials, marketing nursery stock. Susan Sharp will discuss forcing flowers at Open Sky Farm and will demonstrate making interesting kokedama and hypertufa containers to market them. More info here
Tap Into An Amazing Network of Black, Female Entrepreneurs to Expand Your Business! Michigan Good Food Fund just announced applications are now open for scholarships to attend the  Be Well Fabulous Black Woman Tour — a three city conference intended create a sacred space of business + wellness support for black female leaders and entrepreneurs .  Provided by the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, the fund invites good food business owners to  apply for a $50 scholarship  toward attending a one-day stop on the Be Well Fabulous Black Woman Michigan Tour. Tap into this amazing network of women to take your business to the next level! Learn more about the conference and how to apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.  
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute If you are a farmer or rural entrepreneur in the Midwest, you are invited to use a free Grants Advising service of the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute.  Our Grants Advisers help you decide whether a grant would be the best way to achieve your goals. If so, he or she will help you identify a grant program that best fits your goals and help you outline a plan of work for you to follow to meet the application deadline and all application requirements. If not, the Adviser will suggest other resources you may choose to approach. Examples might be federal, state or local loan programs, loan guarantees, as well as resource information and resource persons. For more information and to be on the e-list for program announcements, please feel free to contact one of our Grants Advisers: Martin Bailkey, at (608) 698-9478, [email protected] or Kitt Healy, at (630) 346-4749, [email protected]  http://www.michaelfields.org/grant-advising-resources/
Jobs:
We The People Opportunity Center is hiring a farm manager for this season. Check out the details here. The deadline to apply has been extended to April 15
The Eastern Market is hiring 25 Food & Health Fellows to staff the Eastern Market Farm Stand, Tasting Stations, and other food access programs! This is a great opportunity to learn from and engage with a variety of experts and organizations working with us to build a more inclusive food system. We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who like working with people and have an interest in food and social justice. This is a seasonal (May-October) position. A cover letter and resume are due by Sunday April 21, 2019! More info here
Fair Food Network has four positions open across Michigan:
NSAC is seeking a Coalition Director . Are you deeply committed to public service and are experienced in administration in the field of sustainable agriculture? Would you enjoy leading a passionate, high-performing, member-engaged, and collaborative organization that is dedicated to working for racial equity? NSAC is looking for a new Coalition Director. NSAC offers competitive non-profit salary and benefits and is an equal opportunity employer. More info here
Garden Project has an opening for a summer  Resource Center  (RC)  Intern interested in community-embedded development work. This position will work 10-15 hours/week from mid-May through mid-August, and perform multiple tasks including assisting with distribution of resources to community gardeners and maintaining the nearby Demonstration Garden. For the full description and application instructions,  click here.
The Grand Rapids Downtown Market is seeking a Horticulturist! The Horticulturist will provide horticultural leadership and vision and oversee the growing spaces of the Market, including greenhouses, live walls, green roofs, rain garden, planter beds, and all other interior and exterior landscaped areas. For more information and to apply, see link: http://downtownmarketgr.com/careers/horticulturist

Support:
Physical Address: 2438 Woodlake Circle, Okemos, MI 48864
Mailing Address: 480 Wilson Road, Room 172, East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: 517.709.8271 Email: [email protected]