Published in Spring 2024
By: Maud Powell, OSU Extension Service Small Farms Program
OSU Small Farms in Jackson County is excited to expand partnerships this year with the Family Nurturing Center (FNC) and Rogue Farm Corps (RFC) at their Teaching Farm at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center (SOREC). The three organizations have collaborated on beginning farmer training for many years. The 2024 partnership promises to strengthen these educational opportunities, increase food production, improve facilities, support food security and access efforts, and promote regenerative farming techniques.
The Family Nurturing Center is a local non-profit that offers an array of services for families with the goal of strengthening social determinants of health. Early childhood nutrition is critical for healthy development and parents need help accessing enough fresh, nutrient dense foods to feed their families. In response, FNC’s Farm and Food Program grows nutritious food for direct distribution to the families they work with and other non-profit partners in Jackson County.
Rogue Farm Corps trains and equips the next generation of farmers and ranchers through hands-on education programs and the preservation of farmland. Land stewardship, mentorship, collaboration and systemic change that address disparities in food and land access form the organization’s core values. RFC has a strong presence in Southern Oregon through their event series and apprenticeship program, both of which provide hands-on training and farm tours, creating community through educational opportunities. For over a decade, OSU Small Farms and RFC have joined forces to offer farm tours and classes for beginning farmers.
The partnership expands the footprint of FNC’s food production at the Teaching Farm at SOREC, allowing more opportunities for beginning farmers to train and increasing the amount of food donated to FNC’s free grocery store. Meanwhile, RFC will continue to host their Regenerative Farming Fellowship at the Teaching farm. This program trains participants how to incorporate regenerative agriculture principles into their farm operations. The part-time program provides an accessible, education-focused, entry-level on-ramp into the world of sustainable agriculture.
Finally, OSU Small Farms staff Diane Choplin will be trialing dry farmed melon varieties as part of a grant-funded effort to find minimal irrigation thresholds, using moisture monitors to test four different watering allocations.
Choplin will also host related workshops and demonstrations, including a melon tasting. “Willamette Valley dry farming successes aren’t directly applicable to our valley’s hotter, dryer climate,” says Choplin. “We’re excited to learn how little we can water and still achieve desirable yields and great tasting food, then share those findings with the community.”
This partnership leverages the skills and resources of three organizations and showcases an excellent example of food systems work.