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Cultivating
Success™ Farmer Mentor Responsibilities:
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If intern is an academic student, Farmer Mentor
will develop a Plan of Work with student and faculty advisor
that clearly states learning objectives, and outlines work tasks,
instructional sessions, and a project schedule for evaluation. If
intern or mentee is a community member earning CEU credits, expectations for
his/her participation will be developed by Farmer Mentor and a
University or Extension representative at the beginning of the
internship.
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Farmer Mentor will instruct intern, in a classroom
setting and on farm, on the practical skills and concepts of
intensive, small acreage farming and\or ranching and market gardening,
to include any or all of the following:
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Vegetable production
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Flowers production
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Herbs
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Berries
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Tree crops
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Livestock and/or dairy, meat, eggs
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Planting
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Composting
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Fertilizing
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Irrigating
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Harvesting
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Pest control
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Greenhouse/season extension
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Marketing and record keeping
- Farmer Mentor
will direct daily activities of interns in production, marketing
and maintenance of the small acreage farm/ranch or market garden.
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Farmer Mentor will work with their State Coordinator to maintain a progress report
to evaluate student’s performance.
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At the close of the internship, the Farmer Mentor will
submit a final evaluation of the student's performance
to their State
Coordinator.
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities of a Cultivating Success™
Farmer Mentor
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Experience teaching, or a strong desire to teach in a garden or field
setting. Important to have the ability to deliver information and
instruction in a clear and thorough manner both verbally, in writing and
by demonstration.
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Experience and knowledge in operations involved with maintaining all
aspects of sustainable productions of integrated farming systems and
instruction.
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Experience with direct marketing. Experience in record keeping for
planning, production, and marketing.
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Experience in general equipment maintenance, including irrigation
equipment, hand tools, wheelbarrows, seeders, etc.
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Knowledge of organizational and time management skills sufficient to
independently set priorities, and to coordinate and complete a number of
concurrent tasks for both cropping and trainee instruction is important.
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If livestock is raised, experience in animal husbandry, animal needs,
on-farm feed production, animal breeding and productivity, applications
of intensive livestock pasturing, rotational schedules, fertilization,
pasture and hay production and yields.
Farmer Instructor Training and Certification
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Farmer mentors will go through a short formal training to be certified
Cultivating Success™ Farmer Mentors. The training will include sessions
on Cultivating Success™ curriculum, adult education, experiential
education, mentoring, conflict resolution, engaging students, and risk
management.
Additional Requirements for Certification
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Minimum three years experience and able to provide three names and phone
numbers of persons who can provide personal and professional references
(peers, Extension educators, former apprentices or someone with direct
knowledge of your experience and practices).
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Must be the primary owner/operator of production area (not necessarily
owner of land, but must be the full time operative).
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Willingness & ability (structurally, legally, etc) to arrange for a
student to live or work on his/her farm. Farmer may need to arrange for
housing on or near the farm site.
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Must be willing to work with a student to develop a plan of work and
other academic on farm projects, which may include a whole farm plan or
business plan.
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Must attend a Cultivating Success™ Farmer Instructor Training and work
through the certification process
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Agree to a site visit from a Cultivating Success™ Representative.
Link to the
Farmer Mentor Handbook for additional Development Tools
Contact
info@cultivatingsuccess.org for more information
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