Our field days and farmer gatherings provide hands-on, farmer-led programming, often showing how 2-3 different farmers tackle something from start-to-finish. We dive into the nuts and bolts of specific production techniques Keys to success:

• These events get specific! Example: Instead of a one-off field day about high tunnels in general, that only scratches the surface, we'll co-host a 7-part series that covers everything from varieties to market analysis. 

• We choose presenters who can be open and honest about what's working and what's not yet....AND we ensure that each presenter knows their audience.

• We actively recruit and feature speakers that bring diversity in terms of scale, experience levels, race, gender, geography, and more.

• We avoid loads of slides and "talking heads" 

• Good food is a MUST.

Stretch goal for the future: Provide mechanisms for follow-up after the event, and build toward ongoing learning communities.

We’re Midwesterners, so we don’t always like to talk about money - but it’s critical to have frank, open conversations about farm finances and business development. PIFF wants to make these conversations normal, hopeful, and regular…because we can only keep farming if we can make a living farming.

We’re integrating farm viability discussions into all of our field days and workshops, and hosting some field days focused entirely on this topic. Check out our upcoming events, as well as our resources page for tutorials, webinars, and books to spur the farm viability conversation on your farm.