Staple Crop Lunch & Learn: Community Collaboration (Without the Headaches)!

Join us for another Staple Crop Community Conversation!

This time we are talking all things community collaborations. Learn how to effectively collaborate with organizations, schools, and other farmers without losing control, wasting time or burning out!

As farmers, we can easily get pulled in many directions. Collaborations can provide fantastic opportunities to help overcome common challenges in crop production but they also require skill and intention to pull off successfully. We’re excited to welcome Alita Kelly of Jade Rabbit and Halee Curtis, community organizer and conflict resolution specialist,  to this space to share practical tools and strategies that will help you navigate current and future collaborations with hope and without headaches. 

You'll leave with:

• A partner planning checklist

• Strategies to keep roles clear and aligned

• Ways to say “yes” or “no” confidently

  
  

Speakers

Alita Kelly (she/her), Jade Rabbit was founded by the organization’s lead strategist, Alita Kelly. Alita is a serial entrepreneur and local leader in West Michigan  having helped launch several   food and farming based initiatives in the area. Those projects include South East Market, a sustainable + equitably focused grocery store launched in late 2020 and the West Michigan Chapter of Young Farmers, a non-profit rooted in land justice and support for new, young, and future farmers. Alita has worked on local and national policy campaigns around sustainable agriculture. When Alita isn’t working she enjoys spending her free time with her two daughters, daydreaming, traveling, restoring a 10 acre apple orchard, and spending time with her big family rich in elders. 

Halee Curtis (they/them) is a community organizer, circle keeper, conflict resolution specialist, and educator rooted in restorative and transformative justice practices. Their work is guided by a framework of radical care, anti-racism, and transnational feminism. With a background from refugee resettlements in East Africa to healing circles in community centers around the Midwest, Halee has extensive experience creating resilient community support structures and holding healing circles across diverse global contexts. They now bring these skills home to strengthen local communities and foster collaborative, and healing-centered spaces.

What are Staple Crops?

We describe staple crops to include foods that people eat regularly and that provide most of their energy and nutrients, like shelf-stable beans, grains, pulses, and more. This project will focus on staple crops traditionally grown in the Great Lakes region, plus any other culturally appropriate staple crops being grown for local communities and families.

Staple Crops include...

• Grains: Such as wheat, oats, barley, rye, dry corn (including varieties for milling or feed), and rice.

• Legumes and Pulses: Including dry beans (e.g., navy, pinto, black beans), lentils, chickpeas, and dry peas (such as split peas and cowpeas like black-eyed peas & pink eye purple hull peas).

• Starchy Root and Tuber Crops: Like potatoes and sweet potatoes.

• Oilseeds: Such as flax, soybeans and sunflower seeds, valued for their caloric density and versatility in oil and meal production.

Staple Crops are...

• Calorically Dense: They offer substantial energy, making them efficient and vital food sources.

• Nutrient-Rich: Beyond calories, they provide essential nutrients, contributing to a balanced and resilient food system.

• Shelf-Stable/Storable: Their ability to be stored for extended periods without spoilage ensures year-round availability, supports consistent market access for farmers, and reduces food waste.

• Foundational to Diets: They are widely consumed and often form a significant part of daily caloric intake across various populations.

• Versatile: These crops can be used in numerous culinary applications and processed into a variety of food products, adding value for farmers and consumers alike.

Event Series

This webinar is part of a five-part series focused on the food crops that sustain us, connect us to our heritage and help us adapt to changing climates and food systems. Participants are encouraged to bring questions and share experiences from the field.

Meet farmers and resource providers from the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Michigan Food and Farming Systems, Fondy Food Center and Fresher Together. Learn about upcoming workshops, learning opportunities and available one-on-one support. You will also be introduced to USDA programs that may be a good fit for your farm business.

This event is free but registration is required.

Questions?  Contact Christine Johnson, MFAI Farmer Education Coordinator at cjohnson@michaelfields.org or (262) 642-3303

About Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI)

MFAI is a non-profit organization that has been cultivating resiliency through research, education, and policy work since 1984. With a broad coalition of public and private partners, The Institute supports farmers, food systems and communities in the Upper Midwest and beyond through a range of programs and initiatives. We believe agriculture can sustain both human and ecosystem health, while advancing food security, independence, and justice. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for news and events.

About Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS)

MIFFS is a statewide nonprofit with a mission to connect beginning and small-scale, diversified farmers, including farmers who underutilize support programs, to each other and resource opportunities to ensure resilient, healthy, vibrant, and viable local food systems.

About Fondy Food Center  The Fondy Food Center cultivates wellness in the Lindsay Heights and Amani neighborhoods and the Greater Milwaukee Area by focusing on issues of healthy food access and economic opportunity. We operate local farmers markets throughout the year, provide access to land, resources and support to local farmers, and work with partners to build a better food system for our community.

About Fresher Together

Fresher Together is a Black and LGBTQ+ owned and led food and farming collaboration dedicated to

serving the people in our community with local nourishing foods and restorative spaces for healing, economic development, training and retreat.