Expanding small farm growers’ capacity is a mission of the Farley Center. The Farley Center and Spring Rose Growers Cooperative offer free educational workshops open to area growers and farmers. Our talented team of teachers includes bilingual farmers and staff in Hmong and Spanish.
Some examples of past Workshops:
- Coolbot Cooler Building Basics and Demonstration. Learn to built a simple, low-cost farm cooler! Jeff Reed of Operation Fresh Start and Dennis Fisher of Regenerative Roots will team up to lead this workshop on building an insulated cooler box and installing the coolbot cooling system. Jeff has over 40 years of building experience and Dennis installed and uses the coolbot on his own farm. The system costs much less to purchase, operate, and maintain than a regular refrigeration system, and can be easily installed by farmers. Participants in the workshop will assist in building the final wall of a panelized cooler box designed so that it can be easily disassembled for moving, watch the installation of the coolbot unit, and leave with construction plans that can be modified for their own farms.
- Food Safety and Post-Harvest Handling with Chris Blanchard. Practical Applications for Small-Scale Operations Chris Blanchard is well known for his dynamic and down-to-earth workshops. As an experienced farmer and farmer educator, he is uniquely qualified to translate the technicalities of food safety and post-harvest handling to practical on-farm applications. In this hybrid workshop/field day he will cover simple steps to safer produce, how to reach and maintain peak freshness for your harvest, and pack shed design improvements for the small-scale farm. This field day is free, includes a catered lunch, handouts, and time to ask Chris questions about your specific situation.
- Introduction to Organic Certification (in Hmong). Learn the basics of organic certification requirements, and how to begin record-keeping necessary to become certified. Taught by Yimmuaj Yang and by grower Cheu Vang, the first Hmong farmers in the state of Wisconsin to achieve organic certification.
- Low-Cost Cooler Construction. Learn the basics of how to make your own inexpensive produce cooling system. Led in conjunction with DATCP’s safe food handling workshops.
Farm Dreams Workshop (en Español). Take first steps to put your ideas into action. Farley Center, Verona, WI March 8, 2014.- Hoop House Build Workshop. Join in a hoop house raising & learn how to install your own.
- Hoop House Management. Learn how to maximize use of your hoop house.
Please Contact Us With Any Questions and check back for future Workshops!
Training Videos
Spring Rose Growers Cooperative in collaboration with the Farley Center is creating a series of educational training videos and radiospots with Hmong and Spanish narration.
The series covers a range of topics such as organic certification, making compost, growing raspberries, pollination, and urban agriculture. By interviewing Hmong and Latino farmers we aim to highlight successful Hmong and Latino organic farmers nationwide. Check the Spring Rose Growers YouTube channel regularly for new content!
- Hoophouse Construction in Hmong and Spanish
- Transcript in English
- Coolbot Construction in Hmong and Spanish
- Organic Potting Soil in Hmong and Spanish
- Transcript in English