Farm Training Collective Nyc Inc

THE GOAL OF FARM SCHOOL NYC IS TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS IN NEW YORK CITY AND BEYOND, WITH A FOCUS ON LIMITED RESOURCED AND SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES, AND TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHY, LOCAL FOOD IN URBAN COMMUNITIES BY SUPPORTING THE PROLIFERATION OF URBAN AGRICULTURE PROJECTS. THE MISSION OF FARM SCHOOL NYC IS TO TRAIN LOCAL RESIDENTS IN URBAN AGRICULTURE IN ORDER TO BUILD SELF-RELIANT COMMUNITIES AND INSPIRE POSITIVE LOCAL ACTION AROUND FOOD ACCESS AND SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND RACIAL JUSTICE ISSUES.

GENERAL PROGRAMS:FARM SCHOOL NYC OFFERS AN URBAN AGRICULTURE EDUCATION PROGRAM ROOTED IN FOOD JUSTICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. IN 2021, AS WE CONTINUED RESPONDING TO THE EVER-CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES OF COVID-19, FARM SCHOOL NYC OFFERED A NEW VARIATION ON OUR CERTIFICATE PROGRAMMING -- OUR FOUNDATION PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS ROOTED IN NEW YORK CITY ON LENAPE LAND AND UTILIZES A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL, HANDS-ON APPROACH THAT CENTERS BIPOC LAND TRADITIONS AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. THE FOUNDATION PROGRAM ENCOMPASSED OUR THREE FOUNDATIONAL COURSES, OFFERED IN-PERSON AND ONLINE:TRAINING OF TRAINERS (DECEMBER 2020): THIS DYNAMIC COURSE EXPLORED POPULAR EDUCATION METHODS, EMPHASIZING THE CONCEPTS OF LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING, AND HANDS-ON, PARTICIPATORY LEARNING. STUDENTS EXPLORED VARIOUS STYLES OF LEARNING, AND PRACTICED PLANNING, DESIGNING AND LEADING AN EFFECTIVE WORKSHOP.FOOD JUSTICE (JANUARY 2021): WITH NYC AS THE STAGE, THIS COURSE PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF FOOD POLITICS, FOOD JUSTICE ISSUES AND APPROACHES. THIS COURSE LOOKED AT ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL DISPARITIES, AND THE INNOVATIVE PEOPLE AND PROJECTS WORKING TO OVERCOME THEM. THIS COURSE INCLUDED AN INTENSIVE WEEKEND UNDOING RACISM TRAINING, GIVING STUDENTS A FOOD JUSTICE FOUNDATION TO BUILD ON IN THEIR FOOD MOVEMENT WORK. BOTANY (FEBRUARY 2021): WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PLANTS? HOW DOES WESTERN SCIENCE DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PLANT RELATIONS AND FUNCTIONS? HERE WE EXAMINED ROOTS, STEMS, LEAVES, FLOWERS AND FRUIT, WHILE BALANCING SCIENTIFIC AND INDIGENOUS WAYS OF KNOWING PLANTS.AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THESE THREE COURSES, 42 FOUNDATION PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE ANY AND ALL OF OUR CORE COURSES OFFERED IN 2021:PROPAGATION (MARCH 2021): THIS COURSE COVERS THE BASIC ASPECTS OF PLANT PROPAGATION AND BEST PRACTICES FOR RAISING HEALTHY SEEDLINGS FROM SEED TO TRANSPLANT, INCLUDING: PLANT REPRODUCTION, THE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF PROPAGATION TOOLS SUCH AS GREENHOUSES AND HOOP HOUSES (MANAGING MICROCLIMATES, PESTS AND DISEASES, AND RECORD KEEPING), CREATING AND USING PROPAGATION MEDIA SUCH AS SOIL MIXES AND COMMON CONTAINERS, AND PROPER WATERING TECHNIQUES FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SEEDLINGS AND STAGES OF GROWTH. GROWING SOIL (APRIL 2021): ESSENTIAL TO GROWING HEALTHY PLANTS IS GROWING HEALTHY SOIL. THIS COURSE COVERS EVERYTHING FROM BASIC SOIL SCIENCE, SOIL REMEDIATION AND THE CURRENT STATE OF NYC SOILS TO SOIL FERTILITY, PROPER IRRIGATION AND CULTIVATION, AND COMPOST (BIOLOGY AND SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION).CARPENTRY AND BUILDING INTRO (MAY 2021): STUDENTS LEARNED CARPENTRY BASICS: READING AND DRAWING BUILDING DESIGNS RELEVANT TO URBAN AGRICULTURE (RAISED BEDS, COMPOST BINS, CHICKEN COOPS, COLD FRAMES, GREENHOUSES AND HOOP HOUSES, RAINWATER HARVEST SYSTEMS). OUTDOOR CLASSES COVERED TOOL SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS PROVIDE HANDS-ON BUILDING EXPERIENCE. WE LIVE IN A PLACE (JUNE 2021): WHAT STORIES DOES LAND HOLD? HOW CAN WE CULTIVATE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN AND ECOLOGICAL FORCES THAT SHAPE THE WORLD WE LIVE IN? STUDENTS DEVELOPED AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO APPLY THESE CONCEPTS TO THEIR SURROUNDINGS.IRRIGATION (JULY 2021): WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF NYCS WATERSHED, THIS COURSE COVERED THE ROLE OF IRRIGATION IN FARM SYSTEMS, TYPES OF IRRIGATION, HOW TO SET UP THESE SYSTEMS AND WHERE TO SOURCE EQUIPMENT.CROP MANAGEMENT (AUGUST 2021): THIS COURSE EXPLORED THE BEST CROPS FOR NYCS CLIMATE, WEED MANAGEMENT, SUCCESSION PLANNING AND PLANTING, INTER-PLANTING, HARVESTING AND POST-HARVEST HANDLING TECHNIQUES, REVIEW OF COMMON CROP PLANT FAMILIES AND THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. PREPARING FOR WINTER (SEPTEMBER 2021): THIS COURSE COVERED SEED SAVING, GARLIC PLANTING AND VARIETIES, GARDEN CLEAN-UP AND TOOL STORAGE, COVER-CROPPING BASICS (VARIETIES, SOWING METHODS AND PLANTING CALENDAR) AS WELL AS FOOD PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES.SMALL FARM PLANNING AND DESIGN (OCTOBER 2021): THIS COURSE REVIEWED THE VALUE OF AND TYPES OF RECORD KEEPING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY GARDEN, URBAN FARM, OR FOOD-RELATED BUSINESS. PARTICIPANTS LEARNED PRACTICAL ELEMENTS OF COMMUNITY GARDEN, SCHOOL GARDEN AND URBAN FARM DESIGN, BUSINESS PLANNING 101, BEGINNER MARKETING CONCEPTS AND PROGRAM PLANNING, AS WELL AS THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY MAPPING. FARM SCHOOL NYC OFFERED ADDITIONAL COURSES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN 2021, INCLUDING:ANIMAL HUSBANDRY: IN THIS COURSE, STUDENTS GAINED A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY IN NYC, INCLUDING CARE AND LEGALITY OF KEEPING LIVESTOCK IN THE CITY. SPECIFICALLY, STUDENTS FOCUSED ON RAISING CHICKENS, BEES, AND SMALL RUMINANTS.COMMUNITY FOOD ARTS: IN THIS ADVANCED COURSE, STUDENTS LEARNED ABOUT PROCESSING FOOD THROUGH CANNING, PICKLING, DRYING, FERMENTING, AND FREEZING. STUDENTS WILL LEARN ABOUT FOOD SCIENCE, NYS HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS, AND RELEVANT LICENSING. STUDENTS DEVELOPED THEIR OWN MARKET-READY VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS.CROP PLANNING: ADVANCED CROP PLANNING FOR VEGETABLE, FRUIT, FLOWER, AND HERB PRODUCTION. STUDENTS GAINED A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF SPECIFIC PLANT FAMILIES, INCLUDING CROP SCIENCE AND GROWING NEEDS. STUDENTS DEVELOPED CROP PLANS. SOILLESS PRACTICES: THIS COURSE INTRODUCED PARTICIPANTS TO SOIL-LESS FOOD CULTIVATION VIA AQUAPONICS, AN ANCIENT ECO-SYSTEM METHOD THAT COMBINES PLANT PRODUCTION WITH FISH CULTIVATION. EACH WEEK FOCUSED ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF AQUAPONICS INCLUDING MICROBIOLOGY, AQUACULTURE, HYDROPONICS, WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS AND SYSTEM DESIGN.TEACHING: THROUGH PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND CLASSROOM TIME, STUDENTS GAINED SKILLS IN LESSON AND CURRICULUM PLANNING FOR A WIDE RANGE OF AUDIENCES. PARTICIPANTS LEARNED ABOUT EXISTING GARDEN AND FOOD JUSTICE EDUCATION CURRICULA AND HOW THEY CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH PUBLIC EDUCATION STATE STANDARDS. HIGH TUNNEL BASICS: THIS COURSE REVIEWED HIGH TUNNELS (SOMETIMES CALLED HOOP HOUSES) AND THEIR MANY USES, VALUES, AND STYLES. IT INCLUDED HOW TO PLAN FOR CHOOSING A SITE, CONSTRUCTION, AND BASIC MAINTENANCE OF A HIGH TUNNEL IN HARMONY WITH THE URBAN SETTING. THE HIGH TUNNEL COURSE WAS LAUNCHED IN 2021 AS PART OF AN URBAN CONSERVATION INITIATIVE FUNDED BY USDA NRCS. THE OVERALL PROJECT LEVERAGES FARM SCHOOL NYCS EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH FARMS, GARDENS AND SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES ACROSS NEW YORK CITY TO UNDERSTAND MORE DEEPLY THE CHALLENGES TO ERECTING HIGH TUNNELS AND RAISE AWARENESS OF THEIR VALUE AND THE WAYS TO FUND AND INSTALL THEM IN OUR AREA.

BLACK FARMERS UNITED:IN 2020, FARM SCHOOL NYC ALSO HELPED FOUND AND BECAME THE FISCAL SPONSOR OF BLACK FARMERS UNITED NYS (BFU-NYS), A GROUP OF MORE THAN 50 BLACK FARMERS, EDUCATORS, AND FOOD JUSTICE ADVOCATES FROM ACROSS THE STATE. WITHOUT SERIOUS INVESTMENT AND INTERVENTION, BLACK FARMERS IN NEW YORK STATE WILL BE MARGINALIZED OUT OF EXISTENCE. BFU-NYS AIMS TO PROTECT THE LEGACY AND ENSURE THE FUTURE OF BLACK FARMERS. THEY HOLD THE POWER TO RADICALLY CHANGE HOW BLACK COMMUNITIES CONTROL ACCESS TO SAFE, HEALTHY FOOD AND BUILD COLLECTIVE WEALTH AND HEALTH IN NEW YORK STATE.

BDC URBAN FARM:FARM SCHOOL NYC LAUNCHED A PLANNING PROCESS IN 2021 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RISEBORO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS OUR FOOD INITIATIVE. THE BDC REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN THE SPRING CREEK SECTION OF EAST NEW YORK, BROOKLYN WILL BE A NEW 28-ACRE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY CENTERED ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS FORGED BY RISEBORO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, APEX BUILDING COMPANY, L+M DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, AND SERVICES FOR THE UNDERSERVED (THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM). AN URBAN FARM WILL BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS NEW COMMUNITY -- CO-CREATED BY RISEBOROS OUR FOOD TEAM AND FARM SCHOOL NYC. WE ENVISION A COOPERATIVE, EDUCATIONAL, COMMUNITY-CENTERED FARM WHERE BIPOC FARMERS AND FOOD SYSTEM ENTREPRENEURS IN EAST NEW YORK AND CENTRAL BROOKLYN CAN PROVIDE A WIDER RANGE OF OPTIONS OUTSIDE OF FOOD BANKS, DISCOUNT GROCERY STORES, AND CORNER STORES -- FILLING THE GAPS IN THEIR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM EXACERBATED BY COVID-19. THIS MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WOULD RESULT IN EAST NEW YORKS LARGEST URBAN FARM. WITH THE HELP OF HARTFORD FARM COOPERATIVE, WE DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO HELP THIS URBAN FARM BEST REFLECT THE ASSETS AND NEEDS OF ITS SPRING CREEK COMMUNITY.