Author: D.W.

Coming soon: .ngo and .ong domain extensions

This news is very helpful (as explained below) because the .org extension is not necessarily reserved for non-profits (NGOs). The new extensions will be and therefore it may be a little easier to see what is what online.Add to that the NGO (non-governmental organizations) name is more universal that using the term “non-profits” since that term really applies to U.S. organizations only while the NGO tag is used globally.

From Mashable writer Matt Petronzio:

The Public Interest Registry (PIR), the non-profit that manages and operates the .org domain, has formally submitted its applications to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the .ngo and .ong domain extensions.

Although the .org extension is often associated with non-profits and has been their go-to domain extension, it is an open domain, meaning that individuals and for-profit corporations can register under it as well. But .ngo will be administered as a closed domain exclusively for NGOs, and there will be a verification component at the time of registration.

If the .ngo extension is approved, non-profits and NGOs that currently have a .org extension won’t be required to make the transition.

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Chicago Outdoor Produce Stands Serving Underserved Areas Approved By City Council

Hopefully, many of you are planning on heading to the Midwest for the PPS September International Public Market Conference on September 21-23, 2012. If you do, it might be worth an extra few days to drive or take the train to Chicago and see their growing local food presence. Every time I go, I find another sustainable project or food system piece to check out. It certainly has to do with the current federal administration’s own interest (and connection to the new mayor) in their home city, and probably also has to do with the last mayor’s interest in greening the city; Daley was the one who put the rooftop garden on city hall after all.

The cart approach that Mayor Emmanuel is offering in the press release attached here has its supporters and detractors. I, for one think before we use these less balanced fixes to try to address food insecurity and sovereignty issues, the farmers market movement needs to be better at knowing how to identify the types of markets that work in these different situations. Or, at least, make sure that the powers that be have farmers needs in mind and have time to build food producers’ long range direct marketing plans. Those types of markets would be collected using the research that myself and others are working on: identifying characteristics, indicators to get typology of markets. My project, using the acronym Market CITY, will be bringing together researchers, practioners and stakeholders to start to build the typology framework. More on that later.
But, do start to plan your Midwestern fact-finding trip and I hope you can find time to seek out these regional farming initiatives when you travel.

Chicago Outdoor Produce Stands Serving Underserved Areas Approved By City Council.

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Grants to Increase Mississippi and Alabama The Wallace Center at Winrock International Announces 2012 Request for Applications

The Wallace Center is pleased to announce the 2012 Request for Applications (RFA) for the Increasing Farmer Success in Local Food Markets in the U.S. Deep South: Mississippi and Alabama program. The program, supported by a grant from the Walmart Foundation, is working to strengthen the capacities of limited resource and/or historically disadvantaged farmers, farmer groups, and supporting organizations to meet the fresh produce supply needs of local and regional wholesale markets, and to facilitate farmers’ success in accessing new markets by further developing supply chain relationships. The Wallace Center will accomplish this through strategic investments in Mississippi and Alabama including grants, technical assistance, and the development of a learning network to support local and regional food system development in the Deep South.

The Wallace Center will support 5 to 8 grant projects that will serve as pilot initiatives to demonstrate successful value chain models that can be replicated or expanded through future programs. Successful applicants will engage with farmers and buyers; build capacity; develop or expand the production of fruits and/or vegetables; facilitate the sale of those products into identified markets; and chart a course for sustainability of the project.

Grants range from $20,000 to $75,000 will be made over a 12-month period. Technical assistance will also be available to selected grantees.

Applications are due on Sunday, July 1, 2012 by 6 pm EST (5 pm CST), and should be submitted by email to FarmerSuccess@winrock.org. Mailed applications are accepted with prior permission only and must be postmarked by Saturday, June 30.

Guidelines and further program details for the 2012 Request for Applications can be reviewed and download at http://www.wallacecenter.org/farmersuccess. They are also attached to this email.

Conference Call with Q & A:

The Wallace Center will address questions about the Request for Applications during a conference call on Friday, June 8, 2012, 11 am to 12 pm EST (10 to 11 am CST).

To join the conference call, dial 888-858-6182. When prompted enter this access code: 3742126#. After a presentation on the RFA, callers will have the opportunity to ask questions. Questions may be submitted in advance to farmersuccess@winrock.org. An FAQ from the conference call will be posted on http://www.wallacecenter.org/farmersuccess by June 12.

For Additional Information:

If you have further questions, please call (703) 831-3242 or email farmersuccess@winrock.org. Allow 24 hours for a response. Please share this announcement with interested parties.

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Fruits We’ ll Never Taste

My own original Slow Food chapter leader (and emerging radio personality) Poppy Tooker coined the phrase “Eat it To Save It” as a way to link human need for good food to awareness of environmental trends. There is no question that if Americans could see, smell and taste what we have lost just in the 20th century as far as foodstuffs, we would have farmers as senators, mayors and presidents once again.

the book, “Salmon Nation People, Fish, and Our Common Home” is a great example of one region’s attempt to clarify what needs to be saved. Put out by a great regional ngo, Ecotrust, Salmon Nation is worth having in your library.
This article is also a great way to think about “untasteable foods.”

Fruits We' ll Never Taste.

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Eat healthy — your kids are watching

Good market newsletter article and as markets that have begun to reach out to families know, you need to involve both parent and child in the market.

Eat healthy — your kids are watching.

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Farmers Market Inspiration Award

Why do farmers choose to sell at farmers markets? What does it take bring a harvest from farm to fork? What kinds of relationships do producers at farmers markets forge with one another and with their customers? What’s the most rewarding part of market day? This year, compelling and heartfelt answers to these questions could earn one farmers market producer a $1,000 award.

The Farmers Market Inspiration Award contest seeks essay submissions from June 16th through August 11th from farm producers who sell at farmers markets, telling a story that depicts concrete examples of farmers market impacts on a farm and the people with whom it connects. One grand prize award of $1,000 will be awarded for the winning entry, to be announced in September alongside top finishing markets in American Farmland Trust’s America’s Favorite Farmers Market Contest. The winning Farmers Market Inspiration essay will be published in Growing for Market in September 2012.

“Behind every one of the more than 50,000 farm stands at America’s farmers markets, there exists at least one inspiring story about a life changed, a business launched, a lesson learned, and a relationship formed,” says Stacy Miller of the Farmers Market Coalition. “It’s about time we let these stories come out, and share them with the general public.”

Essays are encouraged from a wide diversity of agricultural producers, and should focus on a story that reflects some specific outcomes/benefits from selling at farmers markets. In addition to telling a specific story no longer than 1,200 words, essays should be previously unpublished and include at least three pieces of measurable data that strengthen the story, for example, number of acres in production, number of crop varieties sold throughout the season, number of employees and/or family members supported by farmers market sales, or amount of pounds do you donate annually to social service agencies in the market community. Along with each entry, farmer-writers are asked to submit a photograph of themselves or a farm representative at their market stand to accompany the story.

Submissions will be judged by a team including staff and volunteers from the Farmers Market Coalition, Growing for Market, and American Farmland Trust.

Lynn Byczynski, the editor of Growing for Market, said: “I’m looking forward to reading what growers have to say about farmers markets. We know that, in general, farmers markets have been enormously beneficial to producers, consumers and communities. With this essay contest, we hope to hear the stories behind that success, the individual tales of triumph that have given the farmers market movement so much momentum.”

Up to five (5) honorable mention essayists will receive a complimentary one year membership in the Farmers Market Coalition and a one year print subscription to Growing for Market. All essays, both winning and non-winning, may also be published in Farmers Market Coalition print and electronic publications, and may also be published in partnering organization blogs, print publications, or FMC partner web sites.

Beginning June 16th,farmers will be encouraged to read the full parameters and submit their essays at http://www.farmersmarketcoalition.org. Thank you in advance for helping us spread the word about this opportunity among your market producers!

Sincerely,

Your friends at the Farmers Market Coalition

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Morven Summer Institute studies farmers markets evaluation

Morven Summer Institute, University of Virgina

The University of Virginia has begun their latest set of summer courses at their Morven Summer Institute outside of Charlottesville. The Farmers Market Coalition has partnered with professors Tanya Denckla Cobb, Department of Urban & Environmental Planning and Paul Freedman, Department of Politics to present a 2-week course on farmers markets.

Farmers Markets and Applied Food Systems Research will explore the history of the modern farmers market movement, its purpose and discuss emerging evaluation techniques through guest lecturers such as Stacy Miller, Executive Director of FMC, Richard McCarthy, Executive Director of marketumbrella.org, Bernie Prince, FMC Board President and Co-Director of Fresh Farm, and yours truly, independent researcher and public market trainer. The students will also attempt some market-level research using the Indicator Matrix we are developing at FMC and marketumbrella.org’s SEED tool.
About Morven:
In 2001, philanthropist John W. Kluge gave an extraordinary gift of real estate to the University of Virginia Foundation for educational and charitable purpose. The 7,379-acre gift, valued in excess of $45 million, more than doubled the University’s land holdings. Located in southeastern Albemarle County, the properties comprised 11 farms and estates, including historic Morven Farm.

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SOURLANDS WORLD PREMIERE

 

SOURLANDS WORLD PREMIERE
When: June 27, 7 p.m.
Where: Off-Broadstreet Theatre, Hopewell, NJ
Tickets: $20 (includes light refreshments & glass of wine or beer)
How to Get Tickets: sourland.org
(Note: This is the website of the Sourland Planning Council. Tickets not available quite yet!)

Celebrities: After the screening, stay for a Q&A with director Jared Flesher, Mercer County Naturalist Jenn Rogers, and Princeton University Energy Plant Manager Ted Borer.

Details: All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Sourland Planning Council, a local non-profit organization working to protect the ecological integrity, historical resources and special character of the Sourland Mountain region.

SOURLANDS FILM FESTIVAL PREMIERE
When: July 11, 7 p.m.
Where: Princeton Public Library
Tickets: Free and Open to the Public
How to Get Tickets: Just show up!

Celebrities: After the screening, stay for a Q&A with director Jared Flesher, native plant expert Jared Rosenbaum and Wattvision CEO Savraj Singh.

Details: A special summer event of the Princeton Environmental Film Festival.

Here’s their trailer:
Sourlands

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Building a matrix for measurement

I’m off to Charlottesville this a.m. to join in on the Morven Summer Institute at University of Virginia’s Farmers Market Evaluation course. Stacy Miller of FMC, Richard McCarthy of marketumbrella.org and Bernie Prince of Fresh Farm Markets and Board President of FMC will be joining me as lecturers this week. I, of course, will be talking about the Indicator Matrix and what to be aware of as far as market capacity to do measurement. The link below will take you to the story I wrote about this measurement approach last month.
I encourage any food system that is working on evaluation to take a look and to contact me if you have ideas or questions about the Indicator Matrix.

http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/building-a-matrix-for-market-measurement-an-update-on-fmcs-indicator-project

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Jubilee lunches

Tens of thousands of community lunches in one weekend…

“Guests at the Big Jubilee Lunches were asked to bring food to share with their friends and neighbours, with the royal couple offering a cake that had the union flag colours.”

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16240590

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NSAC’s farm bill timeline (updated)

I rely on their farm bill information and encourage you to support their work.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is an alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities.

Farm Bill Timeline

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Fundraising

I just downloaded the free 2011 executive summary from GivingUSA that shows annual giving trends. What is noteworthy to me on this graph is the largest giver is, by far, individuals. I think I have an inkling of just how many markets spend their time raising money from foundations, but I wonder how many markets have figured out a way for individual market community members to be able to support their work?

Graph from GivingUSA’s 2011 national report

GivingUSA reports

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