extension office help

[David Hart]

I'm pleasantly surprised how much help I've been getting from my local office. It may be a resource, others may want to check into.

 

Here's part of an email I recieved from my local extension agent.....

 

 

 Friends,

As I continue to work with local farmers and investigate more ways to direct-market food to the people of Osceola County, I am becoming more inspired every day! I have met so many innovative and passionate people who really want to contribute to their communities by providing good, fresh food locally. I think there are many undeveloped opportunities for local food producers, and I’m learning along with you all about the many things that can be produced and the best ways to market them.

I’ve seen that farmers are facing many challenges. I believe that some of these challenges could be overcome if farmers came together and:

-Identified common issues and needs

-Learned from each other

-Established ways to continually communicate and collaborate

-Spoke with a common voice when needs are being communicated to government, etc.

I think we’re finally to a point where there are enough planned/established food producers serious about their enterprises to begin making some things happen. To give you an idea of what’s being done here …

-a hydroponic veg./herb farm and on-farm store

-a Community Supported Agriculture operation

-a 3+ acre community garden (planned opening spring season!!)

-a backyard hydroponic farm growing microgreens

-a farm producing tilapia, eggs, etc

-an aquaponic operation producing tilapia/veggies

-a hydroponic vegetable operation

-an egg producer

-a grass fed beef producer

-a vegetable/ cut flower producer

-AND many other interested people who want to grow, market, serve, eat, or support local food!

There is obviously vast diversity in what people are producing, in production methods, and in marketing strategies. Perhaps you can understand what a challenge it has been for me to try to create a programming plan within my Community Sustained Agriculture program area (only 20% of my job)!

I would like to host a meeting for food producers, farmer’s market managers, grocery store managers, restaurateurs/chefs, produce stand operators and others involved in producing/marketing local food in Osceola County. The purpose of the meeting would be to offer the opportunity for anyone involved in local food production/distribution to connect. This will be your show; I will merely be there as a resource.

I am contacting only a small group of people initially to see when you are available. Please go to the following site and mark ALL days that you would be willing and available to meet, and I’ll notify you and the larger list of local food stakeholders very shortly of a confirmed date:

[Sahib Punjabi]

Good work David :-)
Keep it up...I will try to contact my Orange County & Seminole County extension agents to see if we can set up a similar program. Perhaps you could ask you Osceola County local extension agent the contact numbers for his/her counterparts in these two counties.
God bless

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Fascinating. Sounds like you have a forward thinking cooperative extension agent in your county who is willing to think "beyond dirt". How fortunate! We'll look forward to hearing how this meeting he is trying to arrange goes.

Here is your mission, should you chose to accept it... convert those people who call themselves tilapia growers and hydroponic gardeners over to our side!