The "unofficial end-of-summer" is here... may your harvests be bountiful! Here at CFN, we're excited about what autumn holds in store and eager to share news about our Beginning Care Farmer series, member farms, and more! Happy reading!

September kicked off the Beginning Care Farmer Virtual Series and we had a fantastic turnout!

Our first two sessions focused on "how to start a care farm" and the "different business models available." If you missed the  sessions and want to view them (and a handy link to helpful resources) you can find the recordings on our website.

Registration is open for sessions 3 and 4!

Session 3: Facility and Land Options: What's Right For You?

Session 4: How Do I Fund A Care Farm?

Each online session is scheduled from 6:30-7:15 pm (ET). Pre-registration is required, and all sessions are free to attend. 

Hiram Farm is a community project born out of the desire to provide inspiration and meaningful work for the individual growth of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. Our vision is a program centered on farm activities such as: animal care, vegetable gardening, crop harvesting, and general farm maintenance.

Open Farm Employment Law Week is one week of FREE Farm Commons educational employment law resources and programming. The goal is to provide all members of the agricultural community with an opportunity to receive free, easy-to-understand farm law resources so that they can get the solutions they need for their farm and ranch businesses, and build community along the way.

When: September 18 – 23, 2023

Sessions Cover:

• Selected Essentials in Farm Employment Law for Your State 
• Farmers’ Guide to In-Kind Wages
• Farmers’ Guide to Hiring Obligations. 
• Farmers’ Legal Guide to Intern and Volunteer Programs
• And MORE....

CFN staff have been busy visiting Care Farms in New York & Massachusetts this summer.  As part of the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) project, we are visiting Care Farms across the Northeast: sharing about the Network, identifying Care Farm mentors, building community, and learning about the diverse models of Care Farms throughout the Northeast US. 

Greens Do Good, an innovative vertical farm in New Jersey, was featured on Nat Geo! The six-part documentary  follows the journey of farming expert @indyofficinalis as she connects farmers with industry experts to help maximize their potential. 

Join us for October’s monthly member gathering as we explore the many resources available to both aspiring and established care farmers! Members are encouraged to bring a list of support resources to share that helped them get growing! Preregistration is required and attendance is open (and free) to all members.

Autism Career Pathways is hosting a webinar titled "Helping Autistic Employees Thrive at Work." This webinar is designed to provide valuable insights and strategies for supporting and empowering autistic and neurodivergent employees working with your organization.

When: Wednesday, October 11

Time: 2 - 3:30pm CDT