Hello!
There's a question that's been on my mind lately - it's about connection. When our Network rapidly grew after our founding in 2006, we tried on a few communications platforms, and I'm pretty sure we haven't found the right fit yet. Today I'm exploring Slack, GlassFrog, GroupSite, Google Groups, and a couple others, but I'd love your insight. Knowing that digital technology will never replace the power of being together, what is the best way we can use it so we can continue to learn from one another despite our geographical distance? If you have experience with these platforms or others, I'd love to hear about it!
Happy fall,
Vera Simon-Nobes
FBEN Coordinator
Photo: A fall bouquet from Blawesome Farm, LLC, Chapel Hill, NC. Blawesome is a Chapel Hill-based flower farm and design studio that offers beautiful, locally grown, organic arrangements. Their farm is owned and co-operated by a young man living with autism.
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Not to Miss Workshops from Our Peers |
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Native Tribal Perspectives & Experiences of Maple Sugaring in Place-Based Teaching and Learning
What does a maple sugaring program look like in Native and Indigenous communities? How can educators better incorporate these perspectives into their own Maple Sugaring programs? Join us for a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Dylan Miner, Director of American Indian and Indigenous Studies at MSU, along with panelists Rosebud Schneider, Market Manager at Ziibimijwang Farm / Minogin Market, Josh Biron, Cultural Activities Coordinator for Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and Nicole Holloway, Cultural Activities Coordinator for Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi.
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Unsettling Thanksgiving in Your Curriculum Webinar
What is Thanksgiving? How did it evolve into the holiday we observe today? Join Shelburne Farms and guests to dig into primary sources, multiple perspectives and regional resources to co-construct a fuller understanding of the myths and truths of the Thanksgiving story. Together you'll unsettle what you know, don’t know, and how you teach about Thanksgiving.
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Women Who Work in Local Food: Panel Discussion
The founding mission of the Vermont group, Addison County Relocalization Network (ACORN) was to “help revitalize the health of our land, our local economy and our local communities so they can provide sustainable sources of food, water, energy, employment and capital while promoting conservation and a healthy environment.” At this year's annual meeting, they're featuring a virtual conversation with a panel of four women working in different aspects of Vermont's food system, and you're invited!
(This lively discussion is part of ACORN's annual meeting)
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Farm to Early Childhood in the Kitchen Workshop Virtual Series
Farm to early childhood (FTEC) encourages our youngest learners to investigate their food systems, adopt healthy eating behaviors, and develop deeper connections to their communities. It connects Classrooms, Cafeterias/Kitchens, and Communities (the 3C’s)! Whether you’re a family child care, Head Start, center-based, public pre-K, or home visiting educator , join us to explore and expand your food and nutrition programming while building and strengthening community relationships.
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Mid-Atlantic Farm-Based Educators Winter Gathering
Join peers at the the 2022 Mid-Atlantic Farm-Based Education Winter Gathering to be held Wednesday Feb. 2 - Thursday Feb. 3 at Holly Ridge Equestrian Center in Willards on Maryland's beautiful Eastern Shore! Morning sessions will be followed by lunch and an afternoon of FBE tours in partnership with the Living Local Project, Maryland Coastal Bays Program. Stay another two days and be sure to attend the Annual MAEOE Conference in nearby Ocean City, Maryland!
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NAFDMA International Agritourism Convention
Coming to Atlanta, GA February 3-7, the NAFDMA Agritourism Convention & EXPO is the premier event and expo for anyone in the agritourism industry including operators, owners and managers. Connect with hundreds of your peers from all corners of the agritourism industry, including orchards, corn mazes, berry farms, retail markets, wedding venues, family fun farms and so many more! This is the annual event to attend where inspired farmers discuss and share ideas about connecting their communities with agriculture.
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Job Alert: Soul Fire Farm |
Soul Fire Farm is seeking passionate, committed folks to join our team next year. Soul Fire Farm is an Afro-Indigenous centered community farm committed to uprooting racism and seeding sovereignty in the food system. Our food sovereignty programs reach over 60,000 people each year, including farmer training for Black and Brown growers, reparations and land return initiatives for northeast farmers, food justice workshops for urban youth, home gardens for city-dwellers living under food apartheid, doorstep harvest delivery for food insecure households, and systems and policy education for public decision-makers. We are based on 80-acres of mountainside land in Mohican territory, Grafton NY. Learn more about our impacts by reading our annual report.
The Education Coordinator is responsible for hands-on facilitation, hosting, and logistical support during Soul Fire Farm’s in-person and virtual programming. Learn more...
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OKO Farms' Fall Festival is coming up this Saturday, and while most recipients of this newsletter won't be there for honey tasting, garlic planting, food demos, music and more, you can still check out their event listings and support their mission to practice and promote aquaponics as a sustainable farming method that mitigates the impact of climate change, and increases food security for New York City.
Are you facing fundraising milestone yourself? Let us know if you want to feature your own organization, or another one you admire in this space next month!
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Growing School Gardens RFP Due Today |
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The Growing School Gardens Summit is taking place April 22 - 25, 2022 in Denver, CO. The call for presentations is open now through November 4! At this inaugural gathering the organizers are dedicated to hosting an experience that is respectful, representative of and accountable to their partners and participants. Learn more and save the date.
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Farmers at Beetlebung Farm on Martha's Vineyard are hoping for a cold winter. They write on Instagram, "In our short few seasons on this farm, each Fall aphids seem to invade our brassicas and this time they’ve chosen our Red Russian Kale. The problem with aphids is that once they hatch, you’re in for a population explosion as many are born already pregnant. Fortunately, Theo’s weekly scouting is paying off enabling us to quickly jump on the challenge by spraying beneficial predatory insects on the bed and minimizing the damage. Other than continuing to build our soil organic matter, proper pest hygiene habits, (ie., preventing cross contamination) and breaking up pest cycles in between brassica plantings with a cover crop like buck wheat, we will continue to rely on Theo’s eagle eyes and hope for a cold winter to reduce our pest population."
Thanks for keeping it real on social media, @Beetlebung, showing us the beautiful challenges of agriculture!
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Farm and Forest-Based Education Course at Goucher College |
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Looking for continuing education? Goucher College is offering a course, Farm and Forest-Based Education next spring! This purpose of this course is to foster a deeper understanding of Mid-Atlantic forests and farms as dynamic educational resources to teach concepts of sustainability and issues of environmental and global climate change. Students will explore effective place-based learning models in farm-based education and forest school methodology, with an emphasis on integrated curriculum across content areas, service-based learning, and conservation education. This course is part of an Environmental Education Leadership certificate. Goucher College offers Maryland State Department of Education credits in partnership with the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation. For more information, contact Peggy Eppig, director of middle school education, MAEF for more information at peppig@maefonline.com.
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Walking Away from Facebook? |
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Retreat Farm announced last week that they're walking away from Facebook and Instagram - a choice they made due to Facebook's intentional and systematic amplification of hate speech, extremist rhetoric, and more. "Starting today, we are choosing to prioritize physical connection and authentic relationships by discontinuing our use of Facebook and Instagram as a way of communicating," they write. "It is up to us to seek new (and old) ways of communication." They add that they don't have their next step fully figured out yet, but they're on their way - and many of us are following along on their journey! |
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KidsGardening Grants Due December 17
Any nonprofit organization, public or private school, or youth program in the United States or US Territories planning a new garden program or expanding an established one that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 3 and 18 is eligible to apply for a Youth Garden Grant from KidsGardening! A total of 50 programs will be awarded. Applications are due December 17, 2021. More information.
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