August: Preparing for fall cover crops and harvest
August 24, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
Mad! Farmers Cohort
a virtual learning journey in the Upper Midwest
Mad Agriculture and OGRAIN are teaming up to bring the Mad! FarmerS Cohort to the Midwest! This program is designed to increase regenerative farming expertise amongst farmers, facilitate farmer-to-farmer learning opportunities, and strengthen community amongst like-minded stewards. Join other Mad! farmers as we explore topics ranging from soil health to weeds and pests, from equipment & machinery to grain marketing, and much more. The Cohort will meet once a month for 10 months via Zoom, with an in-person get together during the OGRAIN Conference in early 2024.
Is this a fit for you?
The Mad! Farmers Cohort is for farmers in the Upper Midwest looking to advance their skills in regenerative organic farming while building a sense of community, camaraderie, and support amongst their peers. This Cohort is designed for farmers who predominantly grow staple crops, ranging from corn, beans, wheat, specialty grains, forages and more. We will welcome a spectrum of farmers, ranging from those who are new to or actively transitioning to organic to established leaders in the regenerative organic movement. Mad Agriculture plans to develop additional learning cohorts in other regions and for other topics (e.g. holistic livestock management, rewilding, agroforestry, etc.).
Our goal at Mad Ag is to help farmers transition and thrive in regenerative organic agriculture. We work from heart to head, poetry to science, financing to markets, and soil to shelf. We take a boots-on-the-ground approach to build trust, camaraderie and community with our partners. We often camp, BBQ, play music, sing, dance, stand behind, laugh, cry and know the family and stories of our partners. We’re part facilitator, part agronomist. That’s how we run ‘technical assistance’.
Meet your facilitators:
Details
What you will get out of this learning journey:
A community of like-minded farmers all working towards a regenerative future
A safe and confidential space to share the successes and challenges of your farming experience
Access to a wide variety of farm and business experts
Access to limited technical assistance between sessions to help activate practices
Lifelong learning to benefit your farming operation and you
A ticket for the OGRAIN Conference this February in Madison, WI
Invitations to private events including before/during OGRAIN conference
Meeting Frequency & Timing:
First Meeting: August 24, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
September 14, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
October 19, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
November 9, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
December 14, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
January 18, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
February TBD (at OGRAIN Conference)
March 14, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
Last Meeting: April 18, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
Pricing:
$250 to participate in this community of practice. Limited scholarships can be provided. Please include a note about your scholarship needs in the application below.
Provisional Schedule
September: Soil health and fertility
September 14, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
October: Season Reflections
October 19, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
November: Grain Marketing
November 9, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
December: Financials for regenerative farms
December 14, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
January: Equipment & machinery for regenerative farming
January 18, 2024, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
February: Community building & adaptive management
(in-person at OGRAIN in Madison, WI)
March: Crimping and cover crop termination techniques for field prep
March 14, 2024, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
April: Weeds and Pests
April 18, 2024, 7:00 - 8:30 PM CT.
How to Join
Please apply to join the 2023 cohort of Mad Farmers by JULY 23.
This cohort will be specific to the Upper Midwest. If you are interested in participating in future regionally specific cohorts, please let us know! We hope to bring this course to your region next.