Futuro en Ag: 2023 Year in Review

March 13, 2024/Tim W. Shenk

The Futuro en Ag project experienced tremendous growth in 2023.

We are joyfully indebted to the hundreds of Latino/a/x farmers, supervisors, farm employees and aspiring farmers who helped us develop the beginnings of a robust Spanish-first agricultural network for sharing information, knowledge, inspiration, mutual support and love of the land and community in the Northeast.

Here is a summary of our events and activities throughout the year.

FuturoEvents2023

As illustrated in the New York State map above, in 2023 Futuro facilitated three Farm Business Management and Leadership Courses, participated in five Spanish-first or bilingual Farm Field Days, held four other Spanish or bilingual in-person workshops and trainings, led online monthly farmer-to-farmer learning circles and graduated nearly 70 participants from two rounds of our online course, “Cómo Iniciar su Negocio Agrícola.”

DSF7575 The year culminated in the first Northeast Latino/a/x Agricultural Community Conference, held in Latham, NY on December 7-8 with over a hundred members of Latinx farm families in attendance and nearly 50 service providers committed to serving the Latinx agricultural community.

In-Person and Online Courses and Trainings, Futuro en Ag Project, 2023

IMG 4993

Farm Management and Leadership In-Person Courses 

  • January 13-14, Moriches, NY (Suffolk County). 13 participants. (Spanish)
  • January 16-17, Moriches, NY (Suffolk County). 11 participants. (English)
  • March 22-23, Brockport, NY (Orleans County). 22 participants. (Bilingual)

In-Person Farm Field Days

  • June 14, Sodus, NY (Wayne County). 54 participants. (Bilingual)
  • June 21, Middletown, NY (Orange County). 10 participants. (Spanish)
  • July 29, Ithaca, NY (Tompkins County). 35 participants. (Spanish)
  • August 16, Walworth, NY (Wayne County). 15 participants. (Bilingual)
  • August 19, Chester, NY (Orange County). 15 participants. (Spanish)

Other In-Person Workshops and Trainings

  • July 12, Newark, NY (Wayne County). Personal finances. 22 participants. (Spanish)
  • August 26 and September 9, Rochester, NY (Wayne County). Introduction to urban gardening, with Food for the Spirit. 12 participants. (Bilingual)
  • November 3, Geneseo, NY (Livingston County). Forms of organization. 30 participants. (Spanish)
  • November 5, Riverhead, NY (Suffolk County). Climate resilience in agriculture. 7 participants. (Spanish)
  • December 7-8, Latham, NY (Albany County). Conferencia de la Comunidad Agrícola Latina del Noreste. 109 participants. (Spanish)

Online Courses and Trainings

  • Jan-Feb; 6 sessions. BF 101: Planifique su Negocio Agrícola. 23 participants. (Spanish)
  • Apr-Aug; 5 sessions. Juntos Aprendemos monthly learning circle. 16 participants. (Spanish)
  • Sep-Oct; 6 sessions. BF 101: Planifique su Negocio Agrícola. 45 participants. (Spanish)

Tim W. Shenk

Tim joined the Cornell Small Farms Program in 2023 as the Bilingual Communications Specialist. He brings expertise in Spanish language communication, journalism, research, popular education, and classroom pedagogy. Tim is responsible for the multifaceted communications strategy for the Futuro en Ag project, and supports Spanish language online and in-person education.
Posted in , ,