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We welcome established farmers to join the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT). As a CRAFT member, you can help provide what beginning farmers need most: hands-on training and mentoring from experienced farmers. You’ll join a supportive network of farmers that include 50 of the most innovative organic, biodynamic, and sustainable farms in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

CRAFT farm membership is $25 per year plus $10 for each designated employee/trainee. Membership provides you and your designated employees/trainees with:

• Multi-year learning opportunities that help trainees advance from beginning farming skills to starting their own farm.
• CRAFT Skills Evaluation tool to help guide the farmer mentor and trainee relationship.
• Annual CRAFT handbook with member profiles, training schedule, and training resources.
• Opportunity to review questionnaires from prospective trainees (for placement in internships or employment).
• Outreach and promotion for CRAFT member farms.
• Collaborative opportunities with like-minded organizations.
• Financial underwriting of CRAFT training activities by foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.

CRAFT Farmer Member Commitment Statement

CRAFT farm members commit to:

• Enable their farmer interns/employees to participate fully and faithfully in the core CRAFT program (providing interns/employees with CRAFT handbooks, schedules, reminders, and time-off for events). The core CRAFT program includes the Intern Orientation at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, monthly workshops at member farms, intern exchanges and informal visits between member farms.

• Offer to share expertise and experience with regional prospective farmers through the scheduled CRAFT events.
• Consider serving on the CRAFT Steering Committee that guides the direction of the regional CRAFT (one or two meetings each year in the winter months).
• Make an annual membership gift to the Angelic Organics Learning Center to help with the cost of administering CRAFT.

For more information, contact Sheri Doyel, Program Director, or Joanne Wiedemann-Wolf, Program Assistant, at 815.389.8455 or craft@learngrowconnect.org .