Building strong farm communities

Picture this: you’re a farmer, facing a new pest that you don’t know how to handle. Or you’re having trouble with irrigation. Who do you turn to for help? Where do you go for more information?

Farming is a deeply rewarding profession. But it can also be incredibly isolating. That’s why community matters so much. Having a network of other growers to lean on, learn from, and laugh with can make all the difference.

At FairShare, we know how important it is to create spaces where farmer-to-farmer connections happen. Besides hosting our grower listserv where farmers share knowledge, we also coordinate two larger groups: the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network for farmers across our region, and the national CSA Innovation Network focused on strengthening CSA.

We’re frequently told how valuable these peer resources are, like in this note from a Midwestern producer in our MVEG Network:

“Every bit and piece of my farm has taken some kind of advice or input from the peer-to-peer talks—hearing what other farmers are doing to make their jobs easier and sharing that knowledge with everyone. We have a diverse production of organic vegetables, and I was able to take in a lot and utilize this info on the farm in more ways than one.”

Whether in a workshop on a farm, conference session, or virtual discussion with other producers, growers crave connection with their peers. And we’re right there in the weeds with them, making sure they feel supported every step of the way.