The Linda and Gene Farley Center for Peace, Justice, and Sustainability launched its farm incubator in 2010, expanding on the community gardening projects supported for 15 years on the land of Gene and Linda Farley. The farm program at the Farley Center has transitioned to a collaborative farm model. Rather than strictly training and graduating farmers through an incubator program, we recognize the value of organic businesses and skills developing with new and experienced farmers sharing the same space and collaborating with one another to take care of the land, produce, and people.
As part of our collaborative farm, aspiring market farmers are supported with land, tools, education, and marketing assistance. Training takes place while maintaining full respect for the cultural crops and practices of the growers involved. All production is Certified Organic through Midwest Organic Services Association. An adjacent neighbor contributes an additional 10 acres which came into production and cover crops in 2010. The Farley Center Farmers collectively cultivate about 16 acres total.
Currently sixteen acres of the Farley Center land are cultivated by ten farm businesses operated by immigrants and entrepreneurs from the Madison area and around the world. The growers cultivate a variety of vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs, including many Latino and Asian specialty crops. Get to know our farmers by visiting the Farmer profile page.
The farmers sell at farmers markets, CSAs, grocery stores, and local restaurants. To learn more about our CSAs and where our farmers sell their produce, click here.
Collaborators and Supporters
The Farley Center worked in close collaboration with Rooted to develop the farm incubator program. Since then, the Farley Center has partnered and collaborated with several local and regional institutions and organizations to further support our farmers and the Farley Center’s broader mission of agricultural sustainability.
Currently, the Farley Center is collaborating with several local county parks and organizations as they plan for new agricultural spaces in Dane County. These include Anderson Park, Silverwood Park, and Donald Park. Partners on these projects include Dane County, Savanna Institute, City of Oregon, and several park Friends groups.
Other regional collaborators include the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and many university and nonprofit partners enthusiastic about supporting a new generation of farmers.
Angelic Organics Learning Center, led by experienced farmers from the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT), offers business planning (Stateline Farm Beginnings®), on-farm training, and mentoring throughout Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
Previously, the Farley Center has collaborated with the Minnesota Food Group, MOSES (Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service), and FLAG (Farmer’s Legal Action Group).