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Host Training Plan
Victory Gardens for Peace, Project of Ecology Action
Name | Matt Drewno | [email protected] | |
Steward(s) Selected | Eliakim Kipngetich – | ||
Training Start Date | 03/26/2023 | Training End Date | 11/29/2023 |
Steward Training Hours per Week | 40 | ||
Compensation (Stipend or Wage) | Short or Educational Program Stipend (pre-arranged w/ MESA) | If Yes, how much/how often? | [1156] |
Non-Monetary Compensation and Estimated Value | $31,000 USD (est. Tuition, Visa & Sponsor fees, Housing, Food, Medical Insurance, RT airfare, misc.) |
Name of your Workers’ Compensation Carrier | None |
Will your Workers’ Compensation policy cover the Steward? | No, but equivalent coverage |
Number of Employees at training location | 3 |
Number of Interns/Trainees/Apprentices at training location | 2-6 |
Annual Revenue | $0 to $3 Million |
[Phase 1]
Phase Name | Hands-On Introduction | ||
Start Date of Phase | 03/26/2023 | End Date of Phase | 06/01/2023 |
Primary Supervisor during this phase | Matt Drewno | Supervisor Title | Manager |
[email protected] | Phone Number | 8474042586 | |
1. Describe the Trainee/Steward’s role for this phase |
Learning the basics of the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Method, settling in and beginning spring planting and classes. Trainees will participate in all aspects of the mini-farm including soil preparation, propagation, transplanting, |
2. Specific goals and objectives for this phase |
Familiarization with all introductory levels of the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Method. This phase provides the basis for deeper levels of understanding and integrating of classroom work in scientifically understanding the importance of this method of agriculture. At the end of this period, the intern should have a grasp on the physical how-to of this method. |
3. Primary Supervisor’s qualifications |
Manager of Victory Gardens for Peace (formerly the GreenBelt Mini-Farm) for 10+years, working with past MESA stewards on the ground and in the classroom. Advanced Level Certified in GROW BIOINTENSIVE. We are a project of Ecology Action and have been a research, education and demonstration site for GB internationally since 2010. Matt has been working in organic agriculture since 2001 and has experience with permaculture, mechanized organic, biodynamics and biointensive. |
4. What plans are in place for the Trainee/Steward to participate in cultural activities while in the United States? |
Work with students from other communities and opportunities to make friends and visit other farms on trainees free time. The Pacific North Coast is beautiful and there are many opportunities to explore the community and surrounding land. |
5. Specific knowledge, skills, or techniques to be learned during this phase? |
World Perspective; Top soil depletion, species loss, U.S. agriculture; Philosophy; Growing crops, soil, people; Individual responsibility; History; Chinese, Greek and South American traditional agriculture |
6. How specifically will this knowledge, skills, or techniques be taught? Include methodology of training and chronology/syllabus. |
During this introductory phase, a curriculum complete with assigned readings and light homework is given to trainees. Readings include “The Sustainable Vegetable Garden”, “How to Grow More Vegetables” and our “Mini-Farm Farming Handbook”. Students will be assigned a simple video series to watch as homework and regular classes will be discussion based and supportive of the individual and group getting to know eachother and working well together. |
7. How will the Trainee/Steward’s acquisition of new skills and competencies be measured? |
Weekly personal check-ins, working side-by-side, morning group meetings discussing the weeks activities and questions. At anytime we encourage trainees to ask questions. Supervisors are trained in GB Techniques and certified as teachers to help others develop the skillsets necessary for sustainable mini-farming. |
8. Additional Phase Remarks (optional) |
[Phase 2]
Phase Name | Developing Your Biointensive Skillset | ||
Start Date of Phase | 06/01/2023 | End Date of Phase | 08/01/2023 |
Primary Supervisor during this phase | Matt Drewno | Supervisor Title | Manager, EA Board Member |
[email protected] | Phone Number | 8474042586 | |
1. Describe the Trainee/Steward’s role for this phase |
After completing phase 1, the trainee will have a basic grasp on all 8 principles of the GB Method. Weekly class dates will become more focused, centered on each principle with supporting information to compliment the daily work as the season progresses. By the end of this stage, trainees are expected to understand the importance of the GB Method from a local and global perspective and have a strong understanding of the “what, why and how” of each principle of GB agriculture. |
2. Specific goals and objectives for this phase |
Classes will take place 1 time per week in support of the mini-farm work. These classes are designed to give a deeper understanding of the work itself, showing the science, data, and justification for the approach. We detail its application in different soils and climates around the world, and highlight the experiences of our global network of farmers in showing how this method can be culturally adapted to meet the needs of communities around the world. |
3. Primary Supervisor’s qualifications |
Manager of Victory Gardens for Peace (formerly the GreenBelt Mini-Farm) for 10+years, working with past MESA stewards on the ground and in the classroom. Advanced Level Certified in GROW BIOINTENSIVE. We are a project of Ecology Action and have been a research, education and demonstration site for GB internationally since 2010. Matt has been working in organic agriculture since 2001 and has experience with permaculture, mechanized organic, biodynamics and biointensive. |
4. What plans are in place for the Trainee/Steward to participate in cultural activities while in the United States? |
Work with students from other communities and opportunities to make friends and visit other farms on trainees free time. The Pacific North Coast is beautiful and there are many opportunities to explore the community and surrounding land. |
5. Specific knowledge, skills, or techniques to be learned during this phase? |
Understanding of resource use in agriculture and how different methods compare in terms of water, soil, food, energy and ecology. Each of the 8 principles of GB agriculture will be discussed in detail and comparisons will be made with other techniques and applications. We will focus on the method during this phase, introducing topics of diet design and resource use. Work in the garden will continue to be supported as depth of knowledge increases. |
6. How specifically will this knowledge, skills, or techniques be taught? Include methodology of training and chronology/syllabus. |
Part 2: Developing Your Biointensive Skillset |
7. How will the Trainee/Steward’s acquisition of new skills and competencies be measured? |
Weekly personal check-ins, working side-by-side, morning group meetings discussing the weeks activities and questions. At anytime we encourage trainees to ask questions. Supervisors are trained in GB Techniques and certified as teachers to help others develop the skillsets necessary for sustainable mini-farming. |
8. Additional Phase Remarks (optional) |
[Phase 3]
Phase Name | Diet Design and Planning | ||
Start Date of Phase | 08/01/2023 | End Date of Phase | 10/01/2023 |
Primary Supervisor during this phase | Matt Drewno | Supervisor Title | Manager, EA Board Member |
[email protected] | Phone Number | 8474042586 | |
1. Describe the Trainee/Steward’s role for this phase |
Continued work in the garden integrating a growing understanding of crop selection, personal nutritional needs, crop rotations, compost design, carbon farming and calorie farming. Trainees will begin developing a complete and sustainable diet design. By the end of this phase, trainees should have a solid grasp on the process of developing a sustainable and approaching a complete diet design. Basic planning skills and permaculture design will be taught. |
2. Specific goals and objectives for this phase |
Classes will continue to take place 1 time per week in support of the mini-farm work. These classes are designed to give a deeper understanding of the work itself, showing the science, data, and justification for the approach. We detail its application in different soils and climates around the world, and highlight the experiences of our global network of farmers in showing how this method can be culturally adapted to meet the needs of communities around the world. At this phase, trainees will develop a diet design understanding all aspects of sustainable management including nutrient cycling and composting. Several examples of successful diet designs will be explored and throughout this phase individuals will be taken through the process of designing a diet through completing forms with guided experience. |
3. Primary Supervisor’s qualifications |
Manager of Victory Gardens for Peace (formerly the GreenBelt Mini-Farm) for 10+years, working with past MESA stewards on the ground and in the classroom. Advanced Level Certified in GROW BIOINTENSIVE. We are a project of Ecology Action and have been a research, education and demonstration site for GB internationally since 2010. Matt has been working in organic agriculture since 2001 and has experience with permaculture, mechanized organic, biodynamics and biointensive. |
4. What plans are in place for the Trainee/Steward to participate in cultural activities while in the United States? |
Work with students from other communities and opportunities to make friends and visit other farms on trainees free time. The Pacific North Coast is beautiful and there are many opportunities to explore the community and surrounding land. |
5. Specific knowledge, skills, or techniques to be learned during this phase? |
Diet Design, crop choices as they relate to resource use, land area requirements, nutrition, and timing/rotations/planning. Special emphasis will be given towards developing ones own diet design, sharing experiences with others throughout the process and experimenting with eating and growing their dietary crops. By the end of this phase, students will be on track towards developing a complete diet design with hitting nutritional goals of calories, protein and calcium as well as ensuring sufficient compost materials are included to maintain soil fertility. |
6. How specifically will this knowledge, skills, or techniques be taught? Include methodology of training and chronology/syllabus. |
Part 3: Diet Design and Planning |
7. How will the Trainee/Steward’s acquisition of new skills and competencies be measured? |
Weekly personal check-ins, working side-by-side, morning group meetings discussing the weeks activities and questions. At anytime we encourage trainees to ask questions. Supervisors are trained in GB Techniques and certified as teachers to help others develop the skillsets necessary for sustainable mini-farming. |
8. Additional Phase Remarks (optional) |
Trainees will have the opportunity to take a 1 week Basic Level Teacher Certification Course during August. Completion of this course is prerequisite for teacher certification. |
[Phase 4]
Phase Name | Finalizing Design, Community-Based Food Systems and Teacher Certification | ||
Start Date of Phase | 10/01/2023 | End Date of Phase | 11/29/2023 |
Primary Supervisor during this phase | Matt Drewno | Supervisor Title | Manager, EA Board Member |
[email protected] | Phone Number | 8474042586 | |
1. Describe the Trainee/Steward’s role for this phase |
Trainees will continue the work in the garden, harvesting main season crops and transitioning garden into overwintering cover, compost and diet crops. There will be an emphasis on composting and soil testing. Trainees will focus their classroom time on finalizing their diet designs and understanding community based food systems and teacher certification processes. |
2. Specific goals and objectives for this phase |
We will introduce several different GB projects and teachers and discuss what makes a community-based food system sustainable and equitable. Students will have a complete and sustainable diet design with a 52-week mini-farm work plan by the completion of this phase. Trainees who opted to take the Teacher Training Course in August will be on track to achieve Basic Level Certification within a year of completing this course. |
3. Primary Supervisor’s qualifications |
Manager of Victory Gardens for Peace (formerly the GreenBelt Mini-Farm) for 10+years, working with past MESA stewards on the ground and in the classroom. Advanced Level Certified in GROW BIOINTENSIVE. We are a project of Ecology Action and have been a research, education and demonstration site for GB internationally since 2010. Matt has been working in organic agriculture since 2001 and has experience with permaculture, mechanized organic, biodynamics and biointensive. |
4. What plans are in place for the Trainee/Steward to participate in cultural activities while in the United States? |
Work with students from other communities and opportunities to make friends and visit other farms on trainees free time. The Pacific North Coast is beautiful and there are many opportunities to explore the community and surrounding land. |
5. Specific knowledge, skills, or techniques to be learned during this phase? |
Community organizing, diet and mini-farm design (including basic permaculture perspectives to aid in design), mapping and planning, finalizing and packaging design to be used for fundraising, training and implementing. |
6. How specifically will this knowledge, skills, or techniques be taught? Include methodology of training and chronology/syllabus. |
Part 4: Finalizing Design and Teacher Certification |
7. How will the Trainee/Steward’s acquisition of new skills and competencies be measured? |
At the end of this phase, trainees will give presentations on their complete and sustainable diet design and mini-farm plan. These presentations will be open to feed back from other teachers and trainees as we celebrate the completion of the course. If funds are available students may recieve an award for their work to support their project when they return to their communities. |
8. Additional Phase Remarks (optional) |