Sustainable Agriculture of Louisville Launches Training Program

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE OF LOUISVILLE (SAL)
104 Forest Court, Louisville, KY 40206 Toward a joyous, diverse and sustainable community of well-nourished people and well-compensated farmers and food workers…

SAL Launches Training and Accompaniment Program for Aspiring Farmers, Urban Agriculturalists, Food Justice Organizers: Start Date is March 1, 2010

Sustainable Agriculture of Louisville (SAL), having completed its 7th season of education, advocacy, consultation and accompaniment of youth and aspiring farmers in the summer of 2009, is now planning and recruiting for a first training course for aspiring farmers to take place from March through November, 2010.

Curriculum Outline: March-May, with weekly follow up sessions over Summer, Two or Three 90-minute sessions per week (times negotiated with trainees).
-The Decision to Farm, Process, Market, Community Organize: Refining the Vision, Transition or Leap? Means of Production: Land, Water, Tools. Location, housing, income and lifestyle.
-Soil Fertility Stewardship: Theory and Practice
-Crops, Animals and Fish: Integrated Agricultural or Aquaponic Models: From worms to carp to cattle, by way of honey bees.
-Direct Marketing Strategies: Solidarity Economy mechanisms, CSAs, Farmers Markets, Niche Markets, Value Added, Food Procurement Contracting, Human Relations and Communications
-Business Planning basics
-Political economy, agriculture and democracy. Food sovereignty.

Practicum Opportunities: May-November. These mini-apprenticeships, mentorships and experiential leaning opportunities constitute 50% or more of the training experience. Participant-trainees will choose from a variety of experiential work placements with area farmers, urban agriculturalists, food processors, marketers, community organizations.

Accompaniment Program: This program includes a medium-term (2 years or more) commitment to accompany participant-trainees in taking steps to acquire access to the means of production, a process that will be adapted to the unique needs and particular circumstances of each participant-trainee.

Cost: Sliding Scale Fee*. $250 minimal fee. *Pending fund-raising activities.
Time commitment: On average 4-15** hours per week, **varies with practicums.

For more information, to register to be among SAL’s first class of aspiring farmer trainee-participants, to donate or to volunteer, please contact SAL coordinator, Stephen Bartlett sbartlett@ag-missions.org (502) 896 9171), or talk with active member Amanda Fuller, abfuller@gmail.com (502) 452 6770

We have nothing to lose but our dependency on an unjust and degrading food system.
And so much delicious shared life on the land to gain!!