Massachusetts Avenue Project's Growing Green Spring Urban Agriculture Training

Are you looking for an opportunity to grow your community garden, add a component to your neighborhood project, strengthen your youth program or neighborhood outreach efforts, learn strategies to address policy challenges, market your city farm project or create value added products? Then join Massachusetts Avenue Program in Buffalo, NY March 9th-11th, 2011 for the Growing Green Spring Urban Agriculture Training! 

The Massachusetts Avenue Project’s Urban Agriculture Training features many practical, philosophical, and experiential opportunities to learn from MAP’s success with urban, youth centered agriculture. In addition to witnessing the components of a functional urban farm first hand, such as urban fish farming, composting, and value-added food production, participants will be able to engage and observe many of the successful elements of MAP’s national award winning youth training program, Growing Green. Attending the training also means being able to hear from regional and national experts on food justice and local food systems development, and network with other beginning or established urban farmers.  The trainings and workshops will take place at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Innovation Center and at Growing Green's Urban Youth Farm. 

For just $225, your weekend includes intensive hands-on training, 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, a cocktail reception, and networking opportunities with our staff and partners. For more information about the event schedule, lodging options and transportation during the training please visit our website (www.mass-ave.org) or call us at (716)882-5327 ext 5. 

Workshops include:

Friday March 9th 

Farm Planning & Management with Jesse Meeder, MAP's Farm Manager & Katie Pfohl, Farm Assistant, Tyler Manley, Mobile Market Coodinator

Saturday March 10th 
Aquaponics I & II with Jesse Meeder 

Keynote presentation from Dr. Samina Raja, PhD.- Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University at Buffalo entitled "Building Communities as if People Eat"

Food Policy -featuring examples of local food policy, best practices and lessons learned by Diane Picard, Executive Director, MAP & Jessie Hersher Gouck, Healthy Kids Healthy Communities Coordinator

Developing Youth centered Programming with Erin Sharkey, MAP's Creative Director and several youth participants from the Growing Green Program.

Vermiculture Composting with Worms with Jesse Meeder 

Urban Chicken Keeping with Jesse Meeder

Sunday March 11th 

Social Enterprises and the New Food System with Zoe Hollomon, MAP's Enterprise Director

Urban Chicken Keeping, Jesse Meeder

Urban Composting, Jesse Meeder

Marketing 101: Messaging for Local Food with Erin Sharkey, MAP's Creative Director