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farmer circles

Farmer Circles are peer learning communities for farmers interested in discussing a particular topic in an informal, supportive environment. Each circle meets for at least 12 hours over the course of about one year and is facilitated by a CT farmer with interest in the subject. There are no teachers or students in the circles, just a community of farmers coming together to learn from each other! The circles are best suited to farmers who have been farming 3+ years, but are open to all.  

CURRENT FARMER CIRCLES - 2024

BIPOC Affinity Circle
Weekly, Sundays at 6 pm
This circle is a space for Black farmers, Indigenous farmers, and Farmers of Color to join together, share common challenges and opportunities, and build power. This is a long-running, stand-alone Circle that was originally incubated at NCTFA. Sign up by emailing r.chang365@gmail.com.

 

Herb Farmers Affinity Circle

This group is open to herb growers who intend to sell their products to the community - at any scale. Whether you sell herbs raw, dried, or as an added value product, wholesale or retail, as long as they are grown by you to sell to our community, this is the space for you!

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Queer farmers circle

This group is for queer farmers and their families- anyone who grows food or ag products at any scale, including farm workers, homesteaders and urban gardens AND identifies as queer, LGBTQIA+ or gender queer.   

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Crew Management Farmers Circle

This Farmer Circle is a place for farmers to share experiences, support each other, and help each other create effective systems and the right environment to attract, manage, and maintain a crew. Let's reflect on ourselves and really ask ourselves how we can be better managers. 

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Mushroom Farmers Circle

This Farmer Circle is a place for Connecticut farmers growing, foraging, and/or cloning mushrooms or interested in learning how from a group of like-minded individuals.  

 

 

 

 

On-Farm Composting Farmer's Circle 

Both farms that have already have composting infrastructure and farmers who have not yet begun to compost on-farm at scale could benefit from sharing knowledge through this Farmer’s Circle.​

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Do you have an idea for a farmer circle?

Farmer Circles can be regional, topic based, or identity based. As long as there's a group of farmers that want to get together in a semi-structured way for discussions, we'd love to support it. We're always looking for facilitators to lead new groups. Interested? Shoot us an email at newctfarmers@gmail.com with a circle proposal. Your proposal should include:
 

  • The circle topic

  • Why this topic is relevant to CT farmers, and any demonstrated interest you've seen that makes you think this circle would be successful

  • Any relevant facilitation experience you might have

  • What are your learning objectives?

  • How often will the circle meet?

  • Will it be virtual or in person?

  • Will you facilitate every meeting or rotate facilitators/encourage participant presentations?

  • A sample meeting agenda
     

We will assess proposals on a rolling basis. Facilitators receive a yearly stipend of $800.


Please reach out to NCTFA's coordinator, Ella Kennen, at newctfarmers@gmail.com with any questions or comments regarding this project.

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This program is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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