GLYNWOOD CENTER INC

FARMER TRAINING: GLYNWOOD'S RECOGNIZES THAT FARMERS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION. OUR RANGE OF FARMER TRAINING INITIATIVES INTENTIONALLY CULTIVATES AND SUPPORTS NEW REGENERATIVE FARMERS ALONG THE ENTIRE PATH TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN AGRICULTURE. GLYNWOOD'S ON-FARM APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM - SINCE 2007, GLYNWOOD'S APPRENTICESHIP HAS PROVIDED A COMPREHENSIVE FOUNDATION IN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE FOR ASPIRING FARMERS. THROUGH CLASSROOM AND IN-FIELD INSTRUCTION, APPRENTICES GAIN EXPERIENCE WITH THE BROAD ARRAY OF SKILLS NEEDED FOR SUCCESS IN MANAGING A REGENERATIVE FARM BUSINESS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE. IN OUR 18TH SEASON OF TRAINING NEW FARMERS, WE WELCOMED FOUR NEW RESIDENTIAL APPRENTICES TO LEARN ALL ASPECTS OF REGENERATIVE CROP AND LIVESTOCK FARMING ALONGSIDE OUR FIVE FULL-TIME FARM STAFF. WE HAVE TRAINED 73 NEW FARMERS SINCE THE APPRENTICESHIP BEGAN IN 2007. HUDSON VALLEY APPRENTICESHIP - IN 2022 GLYNWOOD BEGAN FACILITATING A REGION-WIDE INITIATIVE SUPPORTING ESTABLISHED FARMERS THROUGHOUT THE HUDSON VALLEY TO OFFER ROBUST APPRENTICESHIPS ON THEIR FARMS. THE REGION-WIDE APPRENTICESHIP PROVIDES A FULL CURRICULUM, HANDS-ON APPRENTICE TRAINING, RESOURCE COORDINATION, AND NETWORK-BUILDING FOR APPRENTICES AND MENTORS WORKING ON SEPARATE FARMS BUT LEARNING TOGETHER AS A REGIONAL COHORT. IN 2024, WE EXPANDED THE HUDSON VALLEY APPRENTICESHIP FROM THE ORIGINAL THREE FARMS TRAINING EIGHT APPRENTICES TO A COHORT OF 16 APPRENTICES WORKING WITH MENTORS ON EIGHT FARMS ACROSS THE REGION. HUDSON VALLEY FARM BUSINESS INCUBATOR - FOR NEW FARM BUSINESSES, SUCCESS IN THE EARLY YEARS WHEN STARTUPS ARE MOST FINANCIALLY VULNERABLE IS CRUCIAL FOR LONG-TERM VIABILITY. THE HUDSON VALLEY FARM BUSINESS INCUBATOR PROVIDES INDIVIDUALIZED BUSINESS PLANNING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND LAND ACCESS/TENURE SUPPORT FOR HUDSON VALLEY FARM ENTREPRENEURS IN THEIR FIRST FIVE YEARS OF OPERATION. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2014, THE INCUBATOR HAS SERVED 26 FARMS. IN 2024, THE INCUBATOR SUPPORTED 10 FARMS. PATHWAYS TO FARMING / RETIRO DE CAMINOS HACIA LA AGRICULTURA - THIS FULLY BI-LINGUAL (SPANISH AND ENGLISH) THREE-DAY IMMERSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUPPORTS PEOPLE FROM NON-FARMING BACKGROUNDS WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO BEGIN A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE. THE ON-FARM RETREAT WAS INITIATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GROWNYC IN RESPONSE TO A CLEAR NEED FOR AN ENTRY-LEVEL, BI-LINGUAL PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY FOR COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT TYPICALLY RECEIVE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. IN 2024, WE BROUGHT TOGETHER 20 ASPIRING FARMERS.

FOOD ACCESS: GLYNWOOD IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING FARM-FRESH, HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE FOOD IS AVAILABLE TO ALL, REGARDLESS OF INCOME. GLYNWOOD'S LOCAL FOOD FOR EVERY TABLE INITIATIVE IS A HOLISTIC, REGIONAL APPROACH TO INCREASING FOOD ACCESS, PROVIDING A NATIONAL MODEL FOR REGIONAL FOOD SOVEREIGNTY. CSA IS A SNAP ENABLES LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS WHO USE THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP, FORMERLY FOOD STAMPS) TO JOIN A LOCAL FARM'S COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA) PROGRAM PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO A WEEKLY SHARE OF HEALTHY, FARM FRESH PRODUCE. CSA IS A SNAP CUSTOMERS PAY LESS THAN HALF THE REGULAR COST OF SUSTAINABLY GROWN LOCAL FOOD, WHILE FARMERS STILL RECEIVE THE FULL PRICE FOR THEIR HARVEST. CSA IS A SNAP SERVED 180 FAMILIES IN 2024, AND PLANS TO EXPAND TO SERVE 360 FAMILIES IN 2025 WITH FARM FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE AND THE CULTURALLY RELEVANT COOKING INSPIRATION NEEDED TO FULLY UTILIZE THE ABUNDANCE. THE FOOD SOVEREIGNTY FUND ENABLES FARM-TO-PANTRY PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE LOCALLY GROWN, FARM FRESH FOOD AVAILABLE TO NEW YORKERS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY WHILE FACILITATING CONTROL OF THE PROGRAM BY FARMERS. IN 2024, THE FOOD SOVEREIGNTY FUND COLLABORATED WITH 27 SMALL-SCALE REGIONAL FARMS, SECURING OVER 100,000+ POUNDS OF FOOD VALUED AT $465,000 FOR 23 COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD ACCESS ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE HUDSON VALLEY AND NEW YORK CITY. GLYNWOOD'S FOOD DONATIONS: IN 2024, GLYNWOOD DONATED AT LEAST 20% OF THE FARM'S PRODUCTION TO LOCAL FOOD ACCESS PARTNERS FOR FREE COMMUNITY DISTRIBUTION: 12,000 POUNDS OF CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLES, AND 4,200 POUNDS OF HUMANELY RAISED MEAT PRODUCTS.