Events and Trainings
The Farmstand Blog
Why and When should you apply to the NRCS?
August 29, 2025
NRCS provides funding and technical support through programs like EQIP and CSP to help you make conservation improvements on your farm. Applications are accepted year-round, but each state sets a ranking deadline — applying early improves your chances of being funded in 2026. Now’s a great time to plan projects like pasture improvements, cover crops, or wildlife habitat and get your application started.
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RAFI Announces 2025 Farmer Grant Recipients
August 28, 2025
RAFI is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 farmer grants: 42 farmers across 10 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands received $261,319 in support for infrastructure improvements, start-up costs, and innovative projects that strengthen farms and communities. Since 2020, RAFI has distributed more than $1.4 million to 241 farmers, continuing a legacy of grantmaking that helps small- and mid-scale farmers thrive.
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Stories from the Soil
August 27, 2025
Though often seen as a summer pursuit, many farmers provide food year-round using high tunnels, row cover, storage crops, and careful planning. In Virginia, Cameron Terry of Garden Variety Harvests cultivates diversified vegetables and leafy greens, sustaining sales with both fresh and pickled produce. In North Carolina, Tracy Lafleur of Sugar Hill Produce is known for carrots harvested through winter and stored for months, supported by walk-in coolers. Both farmers show how strategy and innovation make fall and winter farming possible.
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RAFI’s Hurricane Farmer Relief Fund Activity Wraps Up
August 22, 2025
RAFI’s Hurricane Farmer Relief Fund raised over $290,000 to help farmers recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton with emergency grants, rebuilding support, and technical assistance. Building on this response, RAFI has created a permanent Disaster Response Team to strengthen readiness for future climate-driven disasters.
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Job Posting: Farmer Advocate
August 14, 2025
The Farmer Advocate will provide one-on-one technical assistance to financially distressed farmers, helping them assess options, access credit, and stabilize operations. This role is instrumental in achieving positive outcomes and supporting farms of all types and descriptions.
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Puerto Rico Farmers Learn Solar Pumping Techniques
August 5, 2025
On July 30, RAFI hosted a field day at Finca Don Cotto in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, where about 20 farmers learned to install and use solar-powered water pumps. Led by RAFI staff and a solar electrician, the hands-on workshop addressed irrigation challenges and cost barriers. RAFI is helping reduce equipment costs through bulk purchases. More field days are planned to expand access to sustainable, affordable water solutions across the island.
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Birthing Sovereignty: Soul Fire Farm’s Model for Land-Based Liberation
July 31, 2025
What does it mean to return to the land — not just to farm it, but to reclaim it? Hope Ostane-Baucom of RAFI’s Farmers of Color Network reflects on her powerful week at Soul Fire Farm’s BIPOC farmer immersion, where farming becomes a practice of healing, resistance, and liberation. This is not just a training — it’s a homecoming.
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Hemp Unraveled
July 29, 2025
When chronic pain hit close to home, Ellis Monroe turned to an unexpected ally: hemp. What began as a search for relief on a small urban farm in Durham, NC, soon became a mission—and a movement. Discover how Monroe and other farmers are reclaiming hemp’s healing potential, resisting corporate takeover, and rebuilding agriculture through care, science, and community. A fall 2024 Living Roots article.
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