Sustainable Ag Training for Farmers in Louisville

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 SAL 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!!