By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Polk County Farm Bureau (CFB) hosted a Growers’ Breakfast each month. The educational event targeted community members who have an interest in agriculture.
“It’s a mixture of formal education and a social hour for these growers to get together and discuss a variety of topics,” said Matthew March, who serves as the commodity chair for Beef and Forage/Hay for Polk CFB.
As Polk County continues to grow more urban, Farm Bureau leaders wanted to find a way to engage those new residents, provide educational information and empower them to be successful in small-scale agriculture.
They partnered with the Polk County AgriLife Extension Service to provide the educational events and identify knowledgeable speakers. Two Polk CFB board members were appointed to chair, plan and execute the monthly events.
The breakfast events allowed local farmers and gardeners to have opportunities to compare results and growing tips and techniques with each other.
“We wanted to reach out to a group that has been underserved in our area, and these breakfast meetings were a way to do that,” March said.
This program created an opportunity for Polk CFB to have a relationship with the growers and offer education and support for their agricultural efforts.
“We were able to connect them to Polk CFB and to the AgriLife Extension office, as well as connect them with other area growers,” said March, who is also a Polk County AgriLife Extension agent.
Some event topics have included small gardens, pest and weed control, egg production, orchards and specific varieties of vegetables to grow for success.
The Growers’ Breakfast were advertised at local farm and ranch stores, in the local newspaper, on the Polk County Farm Bureau Facebook page and through word of mouth from board members and past participants.
They were a plate full of conversations, relationships and outreach—the ingredients to cultivate a future with a better understanding of food and agriculture.
Polk CFB plans to continue hosting the Growers’ Breakfasts.