Dreams of a Farmer-Educator "Go-To" Book

After reading this article, check out the list of ways you can help!

Good Farmer-Educators are a rare breed, partly because the role requires a willingness to live and thrive within the dynamic tension of, you guessed it, being a farmer AND educator. If you are reading this you probably already understand how powerful the land can be as a learning space, yet converting that vision into real-life productive and engaging programs takes a new breed of farmer and teacher (the same applies to hands-on science and environmental programs). 

Sometimes you have to handle complicated projects after the student day is over, although gathering a group to tackle a big project with simple tools can be a powerful experience. 

Being a Farmer-Educator requires you to approach the land, your program, your markets, and your students and employees from new and multiple perspectives. You might make perfectly rational farmer decisions like expanding the number of restaurant clients you serve, only to find yourself taking care of the extra accounts after your students leave. Or perhaps you spend an entire evening devising an engaging lesson on soil ecology, only to wake up in the middle of the night panicked that you didn't leave enough time around the lesson for your crew to harvest for the next day’s market. How do you balance the logistics and production requirements of running a farm while involving students and others in meaningful learning and development?

Trust-building and communication training built into the work day.
(Printed with permission from GRuB).

Although education and training opportunities are growing, few of us arrive in the Farmer-Educator role in a straight line. Some of us have agricultural experience, some are coming from the formal or informal teaching world, others from the urban and community garden movements. Whatever our backgrounds, we are here because we see a growing need and opportunity to reconnect people to their communities, their food, their environment, and even themselves. Farms can be the starting point for many journeys. Where else can you so naturally introduce a spectrum of economic, social, and environmental ideas and issues that range from nutrition and ecology to international food policy and climate change? Most importantly, the theory is grounded in real, meaningful work that, with intention, builds a connected and inspired team of people seeking to improve their world.

 

Youth leading the neighborhood market stand with
produce they grew and harvested.
(Printed with permission from GRuB).

I've always wished there was a “go-to” book that spoke to the special Farmer-Educator reality, and with the creation of Root Forward Consulting, I hope to make it real. This book will be a celebration of the stories, lessons, tools, successes and disasters my Farmer-Educator friends and I have experienced over the years. It represents years of trial and error, winter-time dreaming, and moments of inspiration.

Planning is important, but so is working hard and
connecting with your team/students. 

Building a successful farm program takes great planning, teamwork, creativity, intention, and an ability to adjust on the fly. It also takes a sense of humor, patience, and a willingness to let things be “good enough.” Most importantly, it requires farmers to re-vision and re-design your land, production, and marketing to serve your educational goals, while educators must evolve the curriculum to take full advantage of the meaningful work, responsibility, learning environments, and community engagement the farm offers to your students.

As with any worthwhile project, I can’t make this book happen on my own.

Here are some ways you can be a part of it:

• Like the Root Forward Facebook page to keep up with the project.
• Share this article with others you think should be a part of this project.
• Take 10 minutes out of your day to fill out this survey and help shape the content of this book. Let me know what your "go-to" book would be.
• Invite me to visit/interview your farm-based program. Share your stories and advice. Your profile might end up in the book!