Menu

Farm Mentorship Training

Please note, this event has passed, please access the recordings below.

Do you mentor beginning farmers in Maryland? Register today for a free virtual training focused on supporting farm mentors to build their capacity as educators. Topics include balancing the demands of work and facilitating farm-based education and learning, effective communication, fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion on the farm, workplace culture, legal considerations, conflict resolution, and emergency planning. Hear from experts in the field, including seasoned farm mentors.

Later in the week, registrants are encouraged to attend the Future Harvest CASA conference!

Agenda

Day One, January 11 2-5 p.m.

Recording Available

  • Goal-setting (Shannon Dill)
  • Balancing the demands of work and facilitating farm-based education and learning (Moderator: Sarah Sohn; Panel: Ginger Myers, Shelby Watson-Hampton, Denzel Mitchell, Jennie Schmidt)
  • Effective communication (Shala Larson, Hana Newcomb)
  • Round table discussions (Meredith Epstein, Jennifer Hashley)

Regular breaks will be provided during the training each day. Attendance for the full three hours on each day is strongly encouraged, as well as attending all three days of training.

Day Two, January 12 2-5 p.m.

Recording Available

  • Fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion on the farm (Dr. Carlton Green, Anita Adalja, Jonathan McRay)
  • Workplace culture (Anita Adalja, Stacey Carlberg)
  • Round table discussions (Meredith Epstein, Jennifer Hashley)

Regular breaks will be provided during the training each day. Attendance for the full three hours on each day is strongly encouraged, as well as attending all three days of training.

Day Three, January 13 2-5 p.m.

Recording Available

  • Legal considerations for employees, interns, and apprentices (Paul Goeringer)
  • Conflict resolution (Dr. Kay-Megan Washington)
  • Emergency planning and response (Tope Fajingbesi, Leah Ricci)
  • Round table discussion (Meredith Epstein, Jennifer Hashley)

Regular breaks will be provided during the training each day. Attendance for the full three hours on each day is strongly encouraged, as well as attending all three days of training.

Presenters and Panelists

Tope Fajingbesi

Agricultural Business Management Lecturer and Advisor

University of Maryland Institute of Applied Agriculture 

Partner - Dodo Farms

Speaking on Emergency Planning and Response

 

Shelby Watson-Hampton

Director - Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission

Partner - Robin Hill Farm and Vineyard

Speaking on Balancing the Demands of Work and Facilitating Farm-Based Education and Learning

 

Shannon Dill

Extension Educator 

University of Maryland Extension, Talbot County

Speaking on Goal Setting

 

Sarah Sohn

Director - Beginner Farmer Training Program

Future Harvest - The Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture

Speaking on Balancing the Demands of Work and Facilitating Farm-Based Education and Learning

 

Paul Goeringer

Extension Legal Specialist 

University of Maryland Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics

Speaking on Legal Considerations for Employees, Interns, and Apprentices

 

Jennie Schmidt, MS, RD

Farmer and Vineyard Manager - Schmidt Farms Inc. 

Speaking on Balancing the Demands of Work and Facilitating Farm-Based Education and Learning

 

Hana Newcomb

General Manager

Potomac Vegetable Farms

Speaking on Effective Communication

 

Ginger Myers

Owner - Evermore Farms

Marketing Specialist for Agriculture and Food Systems

Director - Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center

University of Maryland Extension

Speaking on Balancing the Demands of Work and Facilitating Farm-Based Education and Learning

 

Denzel Mitchell

Deputy Director - Farm Alliance of Baltimore

Speaking on Balancing the Demands of Work and Facilitating Farm-Based Education and Learning

 

Dr. Kay-Megan Washington

Program Director - Maryland Agricultural Conflict Resolution Service

Maryland Department of Agriculture

Speaking on Conflict Resolution

 

Shala Larson

Shala Larson

Agricultural Leadership & Communication Lecturer and Advisor

University of Maryland Institute of Applied Agriculture 

Speaking on Effective Communication

Leah Ricci

New Agrarian Program Director

Quivira Coalition

Speaking on Emergency Planning and Response

Anita Ashok Adalja

Farmer

The Agri-Cultura Cooperative Network

Speaking on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on the Farm & Positive Workplace Culture

Stacey Carlberg

Farmer

The Farm at Sunnyside (formerly)

Speaking on Positive Workplace Culture

Jonathan McRay

Farmer Silver Run Forest Farm

Facilitator Cambium Collective

Speaking on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on the Farm

Dr. Carlton Green

Director, Diversity Training & Education

University of Maryland Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Speaking on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on the Farm

Meredith Epstein

Meredith Epstein

Sustainable Agriculture Senior Lecturer and Advisor 

University of Maryland Institute of Applied Agriculture

Event Facilitator

Jennifer Hashley

Project Director - Northeast SARE Professional Development Program Grant, “Farm Mentorship Training and Support Groups for Educators of Aspiring and Beginning Farmers”

Director - New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

Event Facilitator

Registration

logo collage

 

This event is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number ENE20-162-34268.