Farmer Networking and Mentoring

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Farmer Networking and Mentoring

• Jerry Jost
• Kansas Rural Center

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The Kansas Rural Center promotes the long term
health of the land and its people through
education, research and advocacy. The Rural
Center cultivates grassroots support for public
policies that encourage family farming and
stewardship of soil and water. The Center is
committed to economically viable, environmentally
sound and socially sustainable rural culture.
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Farmer-to-Farmer Networking

• Business Planning

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Farmer-to-Farmer Networking

• Women-to-Women Farmers

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Youth Mentoring
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Farmer Clusters

• Focus groups
• Goal setting
• Chemistry
• Forming Storming Norming Performing
• Shared leadership
• Logistics
• Continual learning

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Farmer-to-Farmer Mentoring
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Mentoring Philosophy

• Guide from the side
• Learning partnership
• Nurture mentees self-direction
• Discovery of wisdom and understanding

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I knew I could call and ask anything. I didnt
have to learn the hard way. I could run things by
(my mentor) and get his opinions. I had someone
in my corner.
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I was able to contact (my mentor) and use her as
a sounding board and take advantage of her
experience. I felt more at ease calling and
"bothering (my mentor) with all the questions I
had. This project gave me the confidence to ask
anything I wanted because it was clearer to me
that we were in this together.
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Since it was hard to get farmers to come to my
farm to help me learn how to use some of my farm
equipment, these mentoring relationships helped
me get my planter set up.
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Facilitating and Coaching

• Families in Business Together

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Project Partnership with Kansas State University,
the Kansas Rural Center and USDA's Risk
Management Agency's Commodity Partnership Program
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Ranchers and farmers are telling us their
weakest link is not technology or information.
Their weakest link is human relationshipmanagemen
t.
-Robert Fetsch, Colorado State University
Cooperative Extension
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Principles of mentoring

• Theory and Practice

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Partnership Journey

• Searching
• Getting together
• Getting to know each other
• Developing trust
• Working together
• Ending the relationship
• Parting or developing a different kind of
  relationship

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The Learning Cycle
Tell me about your experience
How can you apply this understanding?
What do you think this means?
What general lessons can be drawn from your
understanding?
The Mentoring Pocketbook, Geof Alfred, Bob
Garvey, Richard Smith
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Agree on the topic for discussion Set an
long-term aim if appropriate
Invite self-assessment Offer specific examples of
feedback Check assumptions
Coaching to Grow Your Farm Business
Goals
Reality
Options
Wrap-up
Cover options Invite suggestions Offer
suggestions Ensure choices are made
Commit to action Make specific steps Agree to
type of support
The Tao of Coaching, Max Landsberg
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Farmer-to-Farmer Networking and Mentoring
Jerry Jost Kansas Rural Center 2002 East 1600
Road Lawrence, KS 66044 [phone]
(mobile) jjost_at_kansasruralcenter.org www.kansasrur
alcenter.org