Growing Farmer resilience through community

It was a rainy day in April, but farmers and farm workers braved the drizzle to join FairShare and UW Extension at Squashington Farm for a training on ergonomics, safety, and well-being. The attendees were diverse, but they all shared a common goal: to find ways to keep their bodies healthy while working the land they love.

During the workshop, participants learned practical advice on how to modify tools and how to "lift with their butts" to reduce the chance of injury. Everyone practiced a quick warm-up to prime their bodies for field work, and learned techniques for self-massage. These learnings were all built into a larger conversation around farm safety culture, and farmers were able to have discussions with their peers around successful ways to address the physical and environmental challenges they face.

Field days like the one at Squashington are important spaces for farmers to get support. They not only get tangible, real-life suggestions to improve their farm life (like "lifting with your butt") but also get to connect with other farmers and have meaningful discussions. These are more than just workshops - they are places where farmers can build community and support one another in the lived experiences they all face.

Farming is a physically demanding job that can wear not only on farmers' bodies but also their mental and emotional wellbeing - especially when aches turn into chronic pain. Throughout the month of July, FairShare and UW Extension, in partnership with the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network (MVEG) and Farm Labor Dashboard, are hosting a series of workshops throughout Wisconsin, focused on ergonomics and body mechanics. Groups in these trainings are intentionally small, so all participants can have their specific questions answered about modifications for their body and their personal history of injuries and discomfort. 

I personally am very excited to be continuing the work of increasing field days and programming for the greater Milwaukee area as I started as the Diversified Vegetable Educator in this region in January. I hope to support and grow the work of FairShare and UW Extension by expanding the growers we are reaching and serving, and I think an important piece of that puzzle is outreach to the diverse growers in the Milwaukee metro area.

~ Emilee Gaulke

Diversified Vegetable Educator

You can support peer connections between farmers, and the workshops that help them build resilience, at fairshare.kindful.com.

Learnings from an apprenticeship journey

It's been just over a year since I began my apprenticeship at Crossroads Community Farm, and it has definitely been a year of learning!

When I stumbled across the Organic Vegetable Farm Manager Apprenticeship Program while looking for farm jobs, I knew the mixture of on farm learning and classes would be a perfect fit for me to learn everything I needed to know about running a diversified organic vegetable operation.

But when I showed up last May, I knew very little. From going on field walks to operating heavy equipment, I have learned so much from my wonderful farm mentors. I also spent the winter taking three classes and attending other learning opportunities such as the Organic Vegetable Production Conference and TEAMs (Training and Education for Aspiring Managers) hosted by FairShare.

Fast-forward to this season and my skill set and confidence has skyrocketed. As the new crew started, it has been cool to reflect on how just one year ago that was me. I am now helping train and manage the crew, running transplant teams, and helping identify and solve pest problems.

Just a few days ago I was in the truck with a new crew member and she asked, "Did you know how to do any of this before you came here?" I said "nope!" And she said, "So you have learned all of this in the past year?" And to me, this showcases the beauty and effectiveness of this apprenticeship.

One of my favorite aspects of the apprenticeship is being able to connect with and learn from fellow apprentices. There are about 10 of us in my cohort and we have been able to get to know each other at field days and through our classes in the winter. It has been invaluable having a peer support network of people going through a similar experience as I am, and being able to celebrate each other’s wins and offer advice or personal experiences with struggles faced on the farm. I know that I will be able to rely on this support network even after we have all moved on from this apprenticeship.

I don't know yet what my next step will be after completing this apprenticeship in the fall. I do know that I could enter a farm manager position at another organic diversified vegetable farm and feel confident in my abilities because of this apprenticeship and everyone who has supported me along the way.

~ Marit Hovey

Apprentice at Crossroads Community Farm

You can support the apprenticeship program, and other programs that invest in farmers, at fairshare.kindful.com.

Supporting HMoob Growers During AAPI Heritage Month and Beyond

May is National Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. To celebrate, we sat down with our Aggregation Coordinator, Chiang Rai Lor, for a Q & A on the history of HMoob growers in the state, current challenges they are facing, and how we can continue to support their success into the future. 

A note on terminology: Why HMoob instead of Hmong? HMoob is a more inclusive spelling that represents the different dialects of the HMoob language and the diversity of the HMoob people. “HMoob” is pronounced identically to “Hmong.” Learn more here.

Q: Can you start by giving us a brief history of HMoob growing practices? 

A: Traditional HMoob growing practices reflect the growing practices originating in Laos, where there is high elevation and two seasons: dry, and rainy. Many growers we work with today still use the same traditional hand tools used in Laos. HMoob farmers in Laos utilized slash and burn farming, clearing the farm with fire and leaving the ashes to fertilize the soil. Once the ground was ready, they would dig, grab a handful of seeds, toss in the hole, wait for rain, weed daily, and wait for harvest. The majority of HMoob growers in the United States are refugees who arrived from Laos and continue to use many of these traditional growing methods today. Wisconsin has the third largest HMoob population in the United States!  

Q: What are some of the challenges facing HMoob growers that you see come up in your work?

A: There are a few challenges that come directly from the traditional practices we just discussed. Because HMoob growers in Laos moved around more frequently (slash and burn agriculture kept the soil fertile for only about three years) there isn’t as much knowledge around crop rotation and using cover crops to maintain soil health. The traditional tools used aren’t very efficient, and many HMoob growers either aren’t aware of or don’t have access to more modern and efficient tools and machinery. And the traditional way of planting (not counting seeds when planting) isn’t as effective because growers don’t know the success rate of their seeds.

Overall, because many HMoob farmers are used to farming in such a labor intensive way, most growers would rather spend hours in the field rather than invest in machinery to cut time - there is less of a sense of value on their time and physical health. 

Q: And are there more systemic challenges as well? 

A: Absolutely. Many HMoob growers sell primarily at farmers’ markets (about 20% of vendors at the Dane County Farmers’ Market, the largest producer-only market in the country, are HMoob). They get a higher price per item at the market and the barrier to entry is lower than other market channels. Selling to a grocery store, restaurant, or wholesale has many more barriers that can make it difficult.

Record keeping, post-harvest handling, financial management, farm business planning, and infrastructure are all things that need to be addressed if HMoob growers want to expand their market access. And there are also language barriers and land access issues that come into play. 

Q: What are some of the opportunities you see in your work with HMoob growers? 

A: Many growers are starting to focus on infrastructure needs (refrigeration, transportation, etc), and there’s a lot of interest and movement around land access for HMoob growers. There is also a lot of interest in expanding market access (like adding wholesale) but the requirements can be a barrier and actually end up disincentivizing growers from trying.

What I have noticed is that there is often a hesitation to give up farmers’ market to try something like wholesale because the price point at market is higher and growers don’t want to give up their market spot for a new venture that may be less lucrative. So finding ways to add market avenues, rather than replacing, feels like a really exciting opportunity. And providing the training and resources needed to make those adjustments is a great way to support that. 

A good example of this is the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program (LFPA) which focuses on providing educational training and a wholesale market for socially disadvantaged and underserved communities. Being able to connect HMoob growers to the program and supporting them through the process with wholesale training, addressing the pros and cons of selling from farmers' market to wholesale, and building awareness around other market opportunities is a step forward in changing the way HMoob growers manage their farm business.

Q: What do you think is needed to make this work successful? 

A: I have really strong partnerships that I can draw from, which feels critical. Not only within FairShare in our grower team, but also across organizations. Working with folks at Groundswell Conservancy, UW-Extension, Marbleseed, GreenGold Gardens, Fondy Food, Big River Farms, WI Food Hub Cooperative, and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection ensures that programs are reflecting the needs of the community as a whole, while drawing on specific areas of expertise at each organization.

And, of course, building meaningful relationships with growers, which takes time. I’ve noticed that it is important for our growers to have an example in the HMoob community that they can see and draw from. In the end, while we offer one-to-one assistance in many aspects, all we are really doing is providing information and support - the growers are the ones that will be implementing the practices. And having strong relationships and community support is really important in making that happen.