A new newsletter aimed at small-scale farmers is now available from Michigan State University Extension.
By Collin Thompson, Michigan State University Extension
The newly established Michigan Small Farm Newsletter is a monthly newsletter aimed at providing small-scale farmers the opportunity to network and learn from other growers around the state. Each month, field reports from Michigan growers are submitted, compiled and distributed to subscribers around the state. These field reports are designed to provide context of what is happening on small farms around Michigan, better connecting growers and providing support through shared knowledge and insight. Participants are able to submit a field report as frequently as they would like (submissions are not mandatory) and have the option to be anonymous.
In addition to field reports, the newsletters contain links to Michigan State University Extension articles, upcoming events and other information relevant to small-scale farmers. The goal of the newsletter is to create a network of small-scale producers that can provide each other support through increased communication and transparency. As one subscriber put it after reading the first newsletter, “It was great to read the reports… I have already gotten some useful information and it has only just begun!”
To sign up, visit the Michigan Small Farm Network website. On the same page, interested individuals and new subscribers can access archived newsletters to catch up on what small farms have been experiencing so far this season.
Collin Thompson is the Farm Manager of The North Farm at the Michigan State University Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center in Chatham, Michigan and a Small Farm Educator with MSU Extension.