When Shanti Nagel and Sebastian Meier started a market garden on borrowed land, they missed the close knit organic farming community they had left in Columbia County, NY, an hour and a half to the south. Setting out to farm on their own after apprenticing, they were eager to find peers they could learn from and mutually support.

After their move, they deliberately set out to get acquainted with all the organic farmers “in the neighborhood” – within about a half hour drive. To their amazement, they discovered that some of the farmers they visited had barely or never set foot on one another’s farms. While these farmers may have been acquainted from a farmers’ market, that competitive type of relationship is different, explains Shanti, who last year became the farm manager at Added Value, a Brooklyn, NY, nonprofit.
The inquisitiveness and sociability of this young couple sparked me, in my then role as executive director of the Regional Farm & Food Project, to initiate an ongoing organic vegetable farmers network in 2002. The informal group Shanti and Sebastian inspired, now called the Sustainable Farmers Network, will enter its fifth year this spring. This network draws its members mainly from three counties north of Albany and east of Saratoga Springs, NY.

“Seeing other farms is energizing,” says Sandy Arnold, who volunteers as the network’s coordinator. “There is always so much to learn and it’s an important break for us every month.”

Matthew Elkin describes the Mid Hudson Growers Network (located a couple hours to the south) as “a routine forum for farmer camaraderie and interaction.” Also initiated by the Regional Farm & Food Project, this group has functioned autonomously after its first couple of meetings.

The experience of these two farmers’ networks has been so positive that I hope some of you will make one happen where you farm.

The structure of both groups is simple. During the growing season a monthly farm visit is held, followed by a potluck meal. These gatherings are publicized primarily to the network’s list of farmers, who mostly live in a two or three county geographic area. There is no formal membership, no money changes hands, and elections and formal governance would probably be out of place. As the group wishes or when motivated individuals volunteer, the networks might opt to take on additional projects, like winter meetings, workshops, or cooperative buying.

Some benefits of farmer networks
The monthly farm visits are important for many reasons. With so few people farming in our society, agrarian skills and practices are not passed on generationally or learned by osmosis from the culture. Awareness of how other farmers are coping and innovating can make or break a farm. But not all farmers are bold about visiting people they don’t really know.
By understanding how others manage their farms, network members get insights for solving problems on their own farms. They also find solace in discovering that others, even more experienced farmers, also struggle with common issues, like weather or weeds.

Phillip Kilpatrick, an inquisitive nineteen-year-old market gardener from a home schooled family, is keen to learn from working farms “that are actually making money.” As their operation grows, he has appreciated seeing how different pieces of equipment are set up.

Without a scheduled event, Jenn Ward, an organic vegetable and livestock farmer, confesses “I wouldn’t stop. No matter how many times you’ve been to a farm,” she continues to finds the tours educational.

The monthly gatherings also build community. Ron Khosla, the farmer who originated Certified Naturally Grown offers anecdotes to illustrate the magic of farmer networks. One time over twenty people showed up at a local farm run by a young woman despite the fact that almost no one knew her. With this simple gathering she gained a place in a community of her peers.

Holding a potluck dinner after the tour is an anticipated occasion for socializing, swapping ideas and stories, and keeping up with the latest news. Farmers arriving late may miss the tour, but catch a shared meal.

Starting a network
Reaching out to other farmers is the first step in starting a network. In 2002 a single planning meeting launched the Sustainable Farmers Network. Three or four farm couples and I met over a potluck dinner. We brainstormed the purpose and where to hold the first season’s farm visits. Everyone took an assignment of one or two farmers to contact to schedule a possible tour and the network began meeting.

To start the Mid-Hudson Network I approached Wendy and Asher Burkhart-Spiegel. After moving from New Hampshire in 2003 and jumping head first into running an established CSA, they were about to begin their second year as farm managers at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project. They were ready to get to know other area farmers and enthusiastic about having a chance to see their farms. With many phone calls, they drummed up interest among other farmers and helped pull together a farmer list. Over the last two years, they have continued to lend a hand now and again to sustain the network.

A one-hour radius is suggested as the geographic focus for a network. The process of gathering names and contact information can take a while and new people will pop up now and again. Sustainable agriculture associations, farmers’ markets, organic and regional farm directories, CSA brochures, and, of course, word of mouth are excellent sources of potential members.

With enough encouragement, a large number of the universe of farmers you define for your network – organic vegetable farmers or small-scale direct market growers or whatever – will probably express interest in participating. Of course, some will not, and others will never attend. Still it is worth keeping everyone informed unless they ask not to receive notices. Farmers join these networks for various reasons. Morse Pitts, who has farmed for 25 years, stumbled on the Mid Hudson network through a friend. He needs to relocate his farm because his town “has become the shipping capital of the Northeast.” Through the network he has made new farmer friends — and become familiar with the quirks of farmland — in the very areas where he is searching for the right farm.

A few necessary tasks
Creating the schedule of farm visits is best done by the network as a whole. Both networks hold a February or March gathering to plan out the year’s schedule. This approach gives everyone input. If a proposed farm visit falls through, the monthly tour/potluck is a good place to get ideas for a replacement host.

A network might choose to meet on a particular day of the month (second Thursday) or to alternate days (i.e. Mondays or Wednesdays) to accommodate farmers’ market and delivery days. This regularity seems to help members remember the gatherings and keep the date free. Of necessity the time varies depending on when the sun sets, so the tour takes place during daylight and the potluck at dusk.

When considering how to make a network successful, don’t forget the human element. Convincing farmers to leave their farm in the midst of summer chaos is a hurdle that requires more than a meeting announcement. An email invitation may not suffice to persuade a shy farmer to come to a first meeting with near strangers.

Every network needs at least one or two champions to supply this human element. Champions think strategically about what will get farmers to come and keep them coming back. They are the people who talk up the group at every opportunity and who help create the social glue among likely members. Just because this role is not often named doesn’t make it any less essential. You may find a champion in the person of the network coordinator or communicator, or on the sidelines as a supportive cheerleader.

For the champion to have anything to promote, there must be a minimum level of organization. Networks are difficult – or impossible — to sustain unless one or two individuals take on basic administrative tasks. These jobs are confirming (or scheduling) meetings at particular farms, maintaining a member database (or email list), and communicating the details of each meeting to all by email and reminder calls. Don’t rotate these tasks for each meeting as they need to happen in a very timely manner.

For a few years, as the director of the sponsoring organization, I took on or oversaw the administrative tasks for the Sustainable Farmers Network. When I left my position, Sandy Arnold of Pleasant Valley became the coordinator. As a well-respected, established farmer, Sandy has often exercised her leadership ability and organizational skills. She and her husband Paul enjoy mentoring newer farmers and bringing together groups of farmers with shared interests.

The Mid Hudson Network evolved differently. At its second meeting a capable young couple volunteered for the job of communicator. By taking this role seriously, Matthew Elkin and Elizabeth Moverman have kept the network growing for its first two years. Their varied background has surely been a plus. Matt, for instance, launched a sustainable agriculture program in East Africa and later interned and volunteered on organic farms; he is completing a teaching degree. Elizabeth started as a farm intern, and has worked her way up to farm management positions.

Matt and Elizabeth get emails out about two weeks before a gathering and then a week before, with maybe a final reminder a couple days in advance. Farmers who don’t use email regularly get a phone call. (Some farmers stop checking their email for months during their hectic season.) If the email notice goes out late, all members of the network receive a quick phone call as well. Ideally every year, network members get an updated list of all members so they may contact individuals as they wish. Matt and Elizabeth have also compiled directions (from all compass directions) to most of the farms; when a farm hosts a second tour in the future, the directions are on file.

Communication among the members is also important and some system should be set up to facilitate it. Farmers need a place to publicize events and post ads and queries.. A listserv like a yahoo group works well. Alternatively the coordinator can send out members’ postings electronically or members could use the “Reply All” function to email everyone.

Cooperation within a network
For several years the Sustainable Farmers Network has facilitated group buying each winter. Volunteers are recruited at a November potluck, often on a farm with season extension structures. This year at least eight different farmers managed separate group orders, including vegetable seeds (Johnny’s and Fedco), cover crop seeds, seed potatoes, row cover, compost and soil mix, and other inputs. The willingness of so many members to contribute to the greater good of the group is inspiring.

Phillip Kilpatrick was willing to coordinate two group orders after watching Sandy Arnold coordinate them. “The leader needs to foster new leaders,” he says. By pooling their compost order with others and ordering a dump truck load instead of bags, the Kilpatricks saved over $400 on 6 yards.

Besides outright discounts, sharing the shipping charges has been a tangible benefit of group orders. Sometimes the person coordinating an order will need to actively encourage others to participate so the group has a big enough order.

The networks have shied away from work parties except on rare occasions. When the Mid-Hudson Network held a late spring gathering at Hearty Roots Community Farm, a new farm started by Briana Davis, a number of farmers came to help her transplant, giving her a big boost. “In two hours, we planted all the cucurbits and did a lot of weeding,” recounts farmer Nadia Maczaj.

Sharing leadership
Sandy Arnold recommends finding “two or three strong people who like organizing” if you form a network.
Suggesting ideas is not the same thing as taking initiative, points out Matt Elkin. He believes the group should set the network’s agenda, noting that he has agreed to publicize the network’s activities, not direct them! However, with a designated person handling the job of publicity, it is natural to assume that that person is also the leader.

It’s early February as I write this and several members I interviewed wondered out loud when the network would announce its first meeting of the year. “With the yahoo list serve, anyone could say, We haven’t gotten together for a while. Let’s plan a meeting,” notes Matt.

Potential for deeper exchange
Identifying a theme prior to each gathering creates a more focused discussion. Sometimes a theme is obvious, like when the hosting farm excels with cover crops. Sandy Arnold says fun topics, like “Vegetables A to Z” or “10 Favorite Tools,” work well for the annual winter planning meeting. A variety roundtable and the annual tomato tasting were the subjects at two Mid Hudson gatherings. More often than not though, gatherings have not been themed.

Structured workshops are an ambitious project that a network could undertake. Several members of the Sustainable Farmers Network organized this year’s three-day Farmer-to-Farmer Workshop, a popular program previously put on by the Regional Farm & Food Project.

Networks could also hold winter meetings that don’t include a farm tour or internal network business. Jenn Ward suggests off-season gatherings where Sustainable Farming Network members could talk about shared challenges. Some “nitty gritty” topics, like farm planning and fertility management, she notes, are better dealt with outside of the pressures of the growing season. Labor and marketing are other perennial subjects. Alternatively, she imagines ten farmers getting together to discuss practices and observations, or what worked and what didn’t.

Nadia Maczaj echoes this last idea and expresses a strong desire for the network to meet over the winter when she and her husband could more easily participate. Rusty Plough Farm’s location on the other side of a mountain ridge prevents the Maczaj’s from getting to most of the Mid Hudson gatherings. “Since we moved to the farm full-time, we have been going gangbusters and haven’t had time to make connections.” But even with only occasional attendance, she credits the network with helping them overcome their isolation.

Tracy Frisch would like to hear from other farmers who have been involved with other farmers networks. Contact her at tracy@farmandfood.org or 518-692-8242.