the FARMER RESIDENCYat MAPLE BAY

the FARMER RESIDENCYat MAPLE BAY

A PROJECT OF ISLAND

An ecological farming program designed to launch the careers of experienced but landless farmers.

INFORMATION AND L INK TO APPL ICATION

ISLAND is a non-profi t arts and ecology center dedicated to connecting people with nature, art and community. ISLAND helps people become native to place by:

� supporting artists—visionaries, conceptual explorers and compelling communicators—with dedicated time, space and resources to create new work;

� restoring the old and developing the new skills and traditions of community self-reliance;

� creating and sharing a broad collection of tools for ecological living.

institute for sustainable living, art & natural design

5870 Cott age Drive � Bellaire, MI 49615231.622.5252

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institute for sustainable living,art & natural design

island

link to website

www.artmeetsearth.org

orBIt.Ly/FarmreZ

Application ProcessApplications for the 2014 growing season are being accepted now and will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

Your application will be evaluated by a rotating panel of ISLAND staff and selected experts. Selection will be based on your farming experience, your preparedness to start a farming enterprise, and the fit of your business plan to the program.

If you have questions about the program, application process, or the appropriateness of your farm business idea, please don’t hesitate to contact Marty Heller, ISLAND Farmer Residency program manager, at marty@artmeetsearth.org or at (231) 622-5252. We’re happy to help you with any part of the application process.

Cost StructureProgram tuition is $800 per year. This includes the land lease, baseline soil amendments, equipment and infrastructure access, technical and business consulting, and access to ISLAND’s workshop programming. We accept flexible payment plans to fit your budget.

What We Offer• Access to 1 to 1.5 acres of zone 5B organically managed

farmland (projected to be certified organic in 2016). We have a program manager whose primary job is to build great soil.

• Access to shared equipment and tools (a 50 hp tractor, implements, hand tools, etc).

• Irrigation, a wash station, root cellar, pole barn space and a walk-in cooler are under development. A sugar shack and farm house are also on site but are not part of the program.

• One-on-one technical and business plan assistance.

• Local farmer mentors and membership in the local small farm guild.

• Free or reduced costs for access to ISLAND’s farming-related workshops (including the Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference).

• Help in identifying and establishing markets. There are 15+ farm markets within a 25-mile drive, along with scores of farm-to-table restaurants, farm-to-school programs and a local food distributor.

• Consultations with bankers, loan officers, business planners, marketing experts and other experienced professionals.

• Help finding the capital and land you’ll need to transition to your own farm.

• A high profile farm program that generates regular press and welcomes recurring public tours.

• One of the best farm locations in the region, 10 miles from Traverse City, adjacent to a major through-way (US-31) and part of the 450 acre Maple Bay Natural Area, which includes half a mile of beach front on Lake Michigan.

• Pleasenote:asofthistime,weareunabletoofferon-sitelodging.Farmersareresponsibleforfindingoff-sitelodging.

About the ResidencyISLAND’s Farmer Residency program is a three-year long farm incubator located at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s Maple Bay Farm, about 10 miles northeast of Traverse City on Grand Traverse Bay (Lake Michigan).

The Farmer Residency provides knowledgeable but landless farmers with three years of access to land, equipment and a network of technical and business advice. This is not a farming primer—this is a chance for new farmers with some experience to manage their own farm, using their own business plan.

Program StructureThe Farmer Residency currently offers 1 to 1.5 acres of land per farmer to launch their own farm business. Farmers will have the opportunity to grow at Maple Bay for three years, selling their farm products while building markets and experience. Along the way, we connect residents to regional land and capital opportunities to help with the eventual transition to your own farm.

Farm residents decide how and what to farm, as long as the plan is suitable for the land base and infrastructure available at Maple Bay. While poultry may be an option, larger livestock is currently not permitted. Single farmers or farm teams are welcome to apply.

Business PlansBe prepared to submit an outline of a business plan for a proposed farming enterprise. If you’ve never attempted this process before, we are happy to point you towards a number of helpful resources.

Specific, detailed program policies are available on our website.

www.artmeetsearth.org

Photo by Jennifer Jay, courtesy of GTRLC