Posts by Violet Stone

Violet is the coordinator of the Reconnecting with Purpose project, which offers farm and food system educators and change makers a retreat space to explore challenges and renew a sense of inspiration and purpose in their work and lives. She is also a collaborator on the Be Well Farming Project. This project creates reflective spaces for farmers and food producers to connect meaningfully and explore strategies that can ameliorate challenges and bolster quality of life. Violet serves as the NY SARE Coordinator and can help farmers and educators navigate NESARE grant opportunities.
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You’re Invited: Reconnecting with Purpose

By Violet Stone / August 10, 2020

As farm and food system educators or change makers working alongside rural and urban farm communities, we face enormous challenges to our efforts to support improved livelihoods of those we serve. Among these are climate instability, rapidly shifting markets, exorbitant land/lot prices, lack of resources, race/gender/class inequities, and labor shortages. While we may design focused…

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Register Now for Baskets to Pallets Marketing Intensive

By Violet Stone / January 28, 2020

Are you in search of new markets? Are you considering wholesale channels such as food hubs, grocery stores, schools, restaurants, and cooperatives? Treat yourself to a holistic training that offers strategies and skill-building for successfully entering wholesale markets with special consideration toward participants’ overall comfort and well-being. Join the Cornell Small Farms Program’s Baskets to…

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Caring for Your Farm’s Greatest Asset

By Violet Stone / December 16, 2019

Our new research project creates spaces for farmers to experience holistic health and renewal. What is your farm’s greatest asset? Deep, fertile soil? A steady, hard-working farm crew? A reliable market that pays good prices? If you have any of these, you are blessed, but a group of agricultural service providers are embarking on a…

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Ploughing a Different Ground: Helping Farmers Unearth Wisdom through the Act of Listening

By Violet Stone / November 1, 2019

In the minutes before a Baskets to Pallets farmer training begins, I stand at the front of the room, scanning tables of chattering people and taking in the many different faces. These trainings are geared toward farmers and producers who are experienced in direct-marketing, but who are considering expanding into wholesale markets. And yet, we…

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Training Offers Holistic Approach to Learning

By Violet Stone / May 20, 2019

On March 14th and 15th the Baskets to Pallets project hosted a regional Training in Rochester NY.  In this retrospect, Violet Stone shares how the Training prioritized a holistic approach to learning… As project coordinator of the Baskets to Pallets project, much of the work I do is at a desk, coordinating the development of…

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Baskets to Pallets Training Aims for Holistic Approach

By Violet Stone / March 25, 2019

On March 14 and 15, the Baskets to Pallets project hosted a regional training in Rochester, NY. In this retrospect, Violet Stone shares how the training prioritized a holistic approach to learning about wholesale markets such as food hubs, groceries, schools and cooperatives. As project coordinator of the Baskets to Pallets project, much of the…

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Register Now: Diversify Your Market Channels & Explore Wholesale

By Violet Stone / March 1, 2019

Are you in search of new markets? Have you considered intermediary channels like food hubs, grocery stores, schools and cooperatives? The demand for local food continues to grow…Is your farm business ready for the opportunities? Ensure your success by joining us for ‘Baskets to Pallets’, a comprehensive two-day introduction to selling wholesale. Baskets to Pallets…

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Baskets to Pallets Farmer Training: Rochester, NY

By Violet Stone / February 28, 2019

Baskets to Pallets Regional Farmer Training. March 14th and 15th Irondequoit Conference Center, Rochester, NY Are you looking to diversify sales beyond the farmers market, CSA and farm stand? Food hubs, grocery stores, schools and cooperatives are looking for your products to meet growing consumer demand for locally produced food. Yet, doing successful business with wholesale…

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2019 Baskets to Pallets Farmer Training, Rochester, NY

By Violet Stone / February 27, 2019

Baskets to Pallets Two Day Training Tug Hill Vineyards, Lowville, NY January 29 & January 30, 10:00am – 4:00pm The ‘Baskets to Pallets’ course is designed for farmers of all enterprises and will cover building relationships with buyers, customer management and record keeping, pricing, grading and packaging, uniformity and consistency, and food safety, among many other topics! …

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Seeking New Markets? Baskets to Pallets Coming to Rochester March 14-15

By Violet Stone / January 31, 2019

Are you looking to diversify sales beyond the farmers market, CSA and farm stand? Food hubs, grocery stores, schools, and cooperatives are looking for your products to meet growing consumer demand for locally produced food. Yet, doing successful business with wholesale buyers requires planning and preparation. Ensure your success by joining us for ‘Baskets to…

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