Cultivating Success Instruction: Meeting Your Community’s Needs

Kirsten C. WorkmanSmall Farms Extension Educator

Cultivating Success Instructor Training

June 13, 2007

Ellensburg, WA

Sustainable Small Farm & Ranch Overview Course

Advertising

First Night

Class Structure

Scheduling

Adapting the Curriculum

Lessons Learned

Advertising

Know your local media outlets:Local newspapers – befriend a reporterLocal radio – be ready for an interviewNewsletters – take advantage of existing postage

Beat the StreetPre & Post AdvertisingWrite your own articles & take your own pictures

First Night: Setting the Tone

Pick the right locationCreate relationships/network opportunities early – Greeting Circle or other Ice BreakersSet ‘Ground Rules’To Name Tag or not to Name Tag…that is the questionSurvey your course participants about their current knowledge and areas of interestCreate a comfortable environment

Keep it casualFood: dinnertime & busy schedules

Class Structure – Evening at-a-glance

Review Last week’s assignmentsReading, homework, questions

TopicInclude some discussion or ‘hands on’ group work

BreakGuest Speaker

Find local farmers and try to coordinate your topics

BreakSecond Topic – if applicableHomeworkAnnouncements

Make this a time for participants to announce events, ‘for sale’, etc.

Scheduling

Work with your speakers – plan aheadBe FLEXIBLE

Adjust for speakers’ schedulesFocus on participants areas of interest

Make time for FIELDTRIPS!!Most impactfulCoordinate to visit a speaker’s farm (class v. field)

Target your dates on your audience If you are trying to reach folks already farming, you may have to start later in the fall or winter

Adapting the Curriculum

Think outside the binder!Great framework and fantastic resourcesDoesn’t have to end thereSoils example

Utilize your local resourcesTake advantage of your expertiseBe CREATIVE…if you are excited, your students will be too

Example: Ecological Soils Management

Had all students collect a soil sample and bring it with them the first night

Sent “Soil Sampling for Home Gardens and Small Acreages” (EC628) with confirmation letters

Sent samples to A & L Lab to get back before Soils class

Class Outline Review last week’s

assignment/homework Topic: Ecological Soils Management

– Instructor: Paul Feenan, High School Horticulture Teacher (and soil geek)

Guest Farmer/Speaker: Ron Cummings, Olympic Mt Organic Farm & Nursery

– mixes his own soil and organic fertilizers on WSDA Org. List.

– One of FEW Organic Nurseries (and LOCAL)

Activity: Interpret your soil test results– Find your soil in the soil survey– “Soil Test Interpretation Guide” (EC1478)– Discuss specific soil issues and potential

‘fixes’

Great way to discuss Community Food Security

‘Hands On’ way to hit home some of the course concepts

Challenge activity; great discussion piece

Gives them something to stay engaged in over holiday break

Example: Thanksgiving Assignment

Example: Egg Carton Marketing Experiment

Lessons Learned

Take your notebooks to Kinko’s!!Three-hole punch EVERYTHING!Keep your paperwork organizedIf you can, hire a Course AssistantPhotocopy powerpoint handoutsOnce you find good speakers/farmers/field trip hosts, cultivate those relationships – they only get betterIf you get a bad speaker, kindly don’t invite them backBe your own best PRA Graduation Celebration is important – my favorite night

Continue the Learning

Food & Farm NetworkLocal Farm WalksLeverage your students as project volunteersCreate an email listTurn Students into Teachers Utilize your captive audience – don’t underestimate the power of a good survey!