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project leader
Wes R
location
1471 E Brooks Rd
(Whitehaven)
latest update rss
Thank you to our donors!

the project

Roots Memphis Farm Academy is a farmer incubator program that educates, trains, and launches new sustainable farmers in the region. 

As part of Roots Memphis Farm Academy, farmers-in-training participate in an incubation phase, during which they manage a quarter-acre farm plot and learn to operate a successful and sustainable small farm business.

Roots Memphis Farm Academy is assembling a Tool Share for its farmers-in-training. The Tool Share helps to defray the costs for new and beginning farmers, because they don't have spend money stocking their own, complete set of tools. Instead, they can use the tools provided through the Farm Academy's Tool Share. Tools will be shared and used cooperatively by Farm Academy farmers-in-training. Access to quality tools makes it easier to start a new farm business in and around Memphis and will help ensure a productive and efficient first season of growing for new farmers.

 

the steps

Roots Memphis Farm Academy will use the money raised through ioby to purchase the tools identified in the project budget. These include exciting things like a powerful walk-behind rear tiller, a sleek and efficient Earthway seeder, a woodchipper for mulching, a quality skilsaw, sturdy harvest lugs and produce crates, assorted hand tools like shovels, pitchforks, and weeders, and a few other items. We invite our donors to come out to the incubation site so they can spend some time with the tools themselves. Tilling is exhausting, but invorating!

Those tools will be stored at the Farm Academy's incubation site. Farmers-in-training will be able to borrow tools from the Tool Share as needed. They will not have to rent, lease, or otherwise pay for the time they spend using the tools. Big savings for them.

why we're doing it

The Memphis region needs more local AND sustainable food. To get there, we first have to create new farmers. Roots Memphis Farm Academy is providing an education, training, and incubation process that will make it easier for aspiring farmers to launch their farms and is working diligently to ensure their long-term success.

The Tool Share we are raising money for is an important part of lowering the barriers to entry for new and beginning farmers in our region. It will mean money saved for every single aspiring farmer who comes through our program. One tiller that can be shared by ten students this year, means savings of ten times the tiller cost, once for each farmer who doesn't have to purchase or rent their own.

Giving to the Tool Share is a very economic and efficient way to contribute to creating more farmers in our region, and ultimately seeing the results in more local and sustainable food, a healthier food system, a cleaner environment, and a stronger local economy.

budget

The purpose of the tool share is to lower costs for new and beginning farmers. Farmers-in-training at the Farm Academy will not have to purchase tools up front for their operations, but will be able to cooperatively share the Farm Academy’s tool share. The tool share eliminates a barrier to entry for new farmers, making it easier for them to start a new farm business, and helps ensure successful and efficient production in their first season.


$100 Earthway Seeder 
$2,000 Woodchipper
$300 Max Tapeners
$250 Spreader 
$500 Harvest Lugs and Produce Crates 
$1,800 Produce Boxes 
$225 Skillsaw
$650 Tiller 
$350 Hand Tools 
$6,175 Total

 



SUBTOTAL = $6,175
ioby Platform Fee  $35
ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) $309
3rd Party Credit Card Processing Fee (3%) $185
TOTAL TO RAISE = $6,704

 



RAISED = $2,690.00
less ioby Platform Fee  $35.00
less ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) $126.43
less 3rd Party Credit Card Processing Fee (3%) $77.33
TOTAL TO DISBURSE = $2,451.24

Budget Update, 4/15/2014

Earthway Seeder

$50

Max Tapeners

$200

Harvest Lugs and Crates

$300

Produce Bags

$100

Produce Scale

$50

Tomato Stakes, Posts, and Panels

$1,990

 

 

Total

$2,690

 

updates

Thank you to our donors!

Posted 04/23/2014 - 11:29am

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Anonymous
  • Emily H.
  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous
  • Pi Day Pie Party
  • Abby
  • Anonymous
  • Annabeth
  • Sherry H.
  • Caroline UK
  • Emily Holmes
  • Ai D.
  • Anonymous
  • Dennis Riddle
  • Mike & Natalie Davis
  • Bill Blanchard
  • Carly Blanchard
  • Bruce Wayne
  • Eammons
  • Anonymous
  • Diane M. Gardens Oy Vey
  • Barbara Meakin
  • Camille's Friend
  • Thomas P.
  • Liz L
  • The McQuartet
  • Sarah L, Scott L, Joe D, Lee P, Brandon W, Claudine N, Cierra M, Steve P, Meggan M., Andrew M, Jennifer S, Daniel M, Lauren B, Jillian A, Chris P
  • S Newstok
  • Matthew
  • Hayley Roberts
  • Nicole & Cameron
  • Wynne S.
  • David Twombly
  • Charli
  • Lisa Stephenson
  • JT Malasri
  • James L.
  • Kenn G.
  • Douglas C.
  • Lauren B.
  • Charles P.
  • Thomas P.
  • David T.
  • Madeleine E.
  • Camilla M.
  • Julia F C.
  • Stanley A.
  • Mary P.