CT NOFA Announces the 2012 Journeypeople

            The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) is proud to announce the acceptance of Max and Kerry Taylor of Provider Farm in Salem and Joey Listro of Sullivan Farm in New Milford to the first year of the Connecticut Journeyperson Program. The program is designed to provide financial and educational support for farmers transitioning from apprenticing to farming independently.  More of Connecticut’s farm operators near retirement age while the demand for Connecticut Grown food continues to grow.  To respond to these trends, beginning farmer support has been identified as a key to securing Connecticut’s local food supply and protecting farms.

            2012 will be Max and Kerry Taylor’s first full growing season on Provider Farm.  Prior to working at Provider Farm, Max worked at Riverland Farm in Sunderland, MA and Kerry with five years of experience at Brookfield Farm in Amherst, MA.   At Provider Farm the Taylors are growing vegetables and raising beef cattle for sale through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).  There are still shares available for their CSA, with shares available for pick-up from their farm in Salem, CT.   For more information about Provider Farm or to purchase a share, visit their website at providerfarm.com.

Max and Kerry Taylor - Provider Farm

            Joe Listro has just taken on the position of Farm Manager at Sullivan Farm, a community farm in New Milford, Connecticut.  Listro has operated a small, vegetable growing business through the Community Farm of Simsbury and worked as a farm-based educator at Urban Oaks Organic Farm in New Britain.  Sullivan Farm is a community farm, providing a rich variety of produce at their farm stand and is open to the public.  For more information about Sullivan Farm, please visit sullivanfarmnm.org/. 

Joe Listro selling vegetables at the Ellington Farmer's Market

             The Journeyperson Program is a two year program that will provide the selected farmers with stipends supporting education, business planning, a paid farmer mentor and admission to all of CT NOFA’s workshops. The Journeyperson Program is part of a collaborative program implemented by NOFA chapters in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.  The project, funded by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture through the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, provides support through several avenues including on-farm workshops, apprentice-mentor matching, farmer socials and a beginning farmer workshop track at NOFA Winter Conferences. 

            For more information on the CT NOFA’s programs for beginning farmers, please visit http://ctnofa.org/Beginning_Farmers.html.