Finger Lakes CRAFT

Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training

2012 CRAFT Season

Apply online today!

     Finger Lakes CRAFT Farm Membership Application

     Finger Lakes CRAFT Trainee Membership Application

Are you an experienced farmer dedicated to cultivating the next generation of sustainable farmers in our region? Are you a farming intern or a beginning farmer looking to broaden your farming experience and connect with other interns and farmers? Or are you an urban gardener interested in connecting with farmers and exploring the possibility of farming as a career? If so, the Finger Lakes CRAFT wants you!

Finger Lakes CRAFT

The Finger Lakes CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) is a community of established and aspiring farmers and gardeners. This community meets monthly throughout the growing season at each of the six CRAFT Mentor Farms to learn about that farm operation, ask lots of questions, share knowledge and network with each other.

CRAFT Farm Membership

CRAFT Farm Membership is open to all farmers (conventional, organic, biodynamic or other) interested in learning about sustainable and organic farming practices and/or enabling your interns or employees to learn about these practices. Farm Membership dues are only $25 per year plus $10 for each of your Trainee Members, and tuiton assistance is available if needed. Membership provides you and your designated trainees with:

• Admission to all monthly CRAFT farm tours during the season, and to our potluck celebrationsthroughout the season
• Participation in a supportive network of experienced and beginning farmers and gardeners
• Outreach and promotion for CRAFT Member Farms through the Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming
• Educational benefits for your interns and employees that can help you attract more qualified workers to your farm
• Access to selected Sustainable Farming Certificate Program workshops and Farmer Educator workshops. These opportunities will help build a more skilled farm workforce and increase the success rate of beginning farmers in our area.

A. Groundswell Mentor Farms

Groundswell Mentor Farms commit to:

• Participating in the design, implementation, and evaluation of Groundswell's New Farmer Training Programs, as part of the NFTP Planning Team
• Hosting events and sharing expertise with trainees in Groundswell's programs through scheduled CRAFT farm tours, Sustainable Farming Certificate Program workshops, and other events
• Enabling your interns/employees to participate fully and faithfully in all sessions of the CRAFT program: seven half-day sessions on Mondays from May to November.*
• Enabling your interns/employees to participate in a kickoff event in May and a final evening session in November.*

In exchange for their service, CRAFT Mentor Farms and their trainees receive free CRAFT membership and free admission to selected Sustainable Farming Certificate Program workshops.

B. CRAFT Member Farms

CRAFT Member Farms are all farms not involved in the NFTP Planning Team.

CRAFT Member Farms commit to:

Enabling your interns/employees to participate fully and faithfully in all sessions of the CRAFT program: seven half-day sessions on Mondays from May to November.*

Enabling your interns/employees to participate in a kickoff event in May and a final evening session in November.*

*Regarding trainee compensation, there is no standard within CRAFT for Member Farm trainee compensation in wages, time off, or educational opportunities beyond attending the core CRAFT visits. Each farmer should make clear to all prospective trainees/employees their policies regarding compensation for their participation in CRAFT activities.

CRAFT Trainee Membership

Membership in the Finger Lakes CRAFT is also open to other trainees who are not affiliated with a Member Farm. The membership fee for unaffiliated trainees is $50 per year, and tuition assistance is available if needed. Trainee membership provides:

• Admission to all CRAFT training sessions and social events during the season
• Participation in a supportive network of experienced and aspiring farmers
• Access to selected workshops offered by Groundswell’s Sustainable Farming Certificate Program

CRAFT Trainee Members commit to:

• Participating fully and faithfully in all sessions of the CRAFT program, including seven half-day sessions on Mondays from May to November, plus  a kickoff event in May and a a final evening session in November.
• Providing feedback to the New Farmer Training Programs (NFTP) Planning Team regarding the learning experience by completing mid-season and final evaluation questionnaires

About the CRAFT approach

The CRAFT approach was first developed by farmers in the Hudson Valley/Berkshires region, and builds on the training provided by individual farmers to their interns and employees during the course of the growing season. The CRAFT approach has been highly successful in increasing the quality, depth and breadth of new farmer training in several other regions in the US and Canada. Communities with a CRAFT program tend to attract the most serious and committed trainees, which is a great benefit to participating farms. We’re excited to be developing this program right here in the Ithaca area.

How to join

The 2012 CRAFT application can be filled out and submitted online.

     Finger Lakes CRAFT Farm Membership Application

     Finger Lakes CRAFT Trainee Membership Application

To learn more or get involved, email info@groundswellcenter.org.