Hello People!

So, this is what it's like to blog...Pretty much just seems like writing!
I thought that this would be a good way to keep each other up to date, along with the facebook page.

As I mentioned in the email, of few of us who are in the loop of farm happenings caught wind of some difficulties occurring with the housing situation and got together to discuss it. We decided to take some action in getting an alumni association happening, not just as an answer to the question of how to help with housing, but because it has needed to happen for a long time. ( Uh, 40 years...) Maybe it had to wait until these electronic tools made it easy enough. We are all convinced that good things will come of being in touch with each other--a list of which might include really good parties, activism on behalf of the farm and garden or sustainable ag, sharing farming practices and stories...

You can see our mission statement over there on the left. We also made a list of goals:

1. Ensure the continuation of the six-month residential Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture;
2. Provide support for achieving the short- and long-term development priorities of the UCSC Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture;
3. Create opportunities for alumni to collaborate in furthering the mission of the Apprenticeship Program through the regional, national and international efforts to promote economically viable, socially just and ecologically sound food systems.

Goal number one is the one getting all the attention at the moment. For the moment, the way that we can help ensure that the RESIDENTIAL apprenticeship continues is to help raise the funds needed to build housing on the farm. There is a deadline for the money to be in place (July) and if the goal is not met, the program will most likely cease to be residential. We all know what it means to live on the farm while apprenticing, and why it is such an important aspect of the program. I am sure you are all getting fundraising calls and emails from the "Friend's of the Farm" and apprenticeship staff, but we thought maybe if folks were in contact with each other, ideas might flow in new directions...