Sow Your Seed Funding with Slow Money!

Sow Your Seed Funding Fundraising workshop for food & farming businesses Presented by Slow Money Northern California and the HUB Bay AreaSaturday, May 18, 9am - 7pm at The HUB San Francisco 901 Mission Street, San Francisco (close to Powell St BART) Program (9:00 – 9:30) Breakfast and registration (9:30 – 10:45) Overview of fundraising & crowdfunding: Traditional and new methods  What are different traditional and new funding options to consider Matching the right form of capital with stage of business What’s expected/how to prepare for each option, best resources Crowdfunding: What is it, regulatory issues and different types (11:00– 12:30) Open Space/Clinics – Interactive How to creating your perfect investor pitch, example of great pitch Crowdfunding Platforms: Credibles, Indiegogo/Kickstarter Slow Money deals: how they work and how to get involved Raising money from friends & family Determining best type of capital to raise “Telling your story” to investors Practice pitching in small groups (for businesses that are pitching later in the day) (12:30 – 1:30) Lunch (1:30 – 2:45) Investors Panel Representation from Angel investors, VC, Private equity, Slow Money What each type of investor looks for, how to prepare, what to expect Common mistakes, realistic expectations, timeframe for each type of fundraising Practical advice from each type of investor on how to get funded How are food & Ag businesses different than other enterprises re: raising funds (3:00 – 4:30) Entrepreneur Showcase Pitching to Investors for Feedback 5 min pitch to investor panel to gather feedback and answer question “is this investable” Brief Q&A discussion (with audience as well) for each business to solicit feedback, find possible matchmakers, identifying what the business needs to move forward, and a general “temperature check” on the idea Will have a way to formally collect feedback for the entrepreneur Semi-formal vetting process for entrepreneurs ahead of the event (4:45 – 5:15) Keynote Address (tbd): How to start small and grow into a successful enterprise (5:30 – 7:00) Networking, Collaboration, Beer & Wine! Click here to register!

Volunteers needed! We still have a few spots for volunteers at this event. Interested? Please reply to this message.

Tour de MALT - A Ride to Benefit Marin Agricultural Land Trust!

Tour de MALT A Ride to Benefit Marin Agricultural Land Trust Saturday July 27, 2013     Join us on Saturday, July 27 for our special bike ride through the West Marincountryside, Tour de MALT.  Choose a 40- or 60-mile loop that will begin and end at the MALT-protected Nicasio Valley Farms, and ride by more than 30 farms and ranches that have been permanently preserved by MALT.  Proceeds benefit farmland protection. Selected ranches along the routes will host rest stops, and the ride will end in MALT style with a farm-to-table lunch of Black Mountain beef sliders accompanied by fresh salads and sides (vegetarian options will be available). Lagunitas Brewing Company beer and a refreshing summer MALT "mocktail" will be served, and a variety of Three Twins Ice Cream will complete this local feast. As an added option, we have limited edition Tour de MALT jerseys available for purchase. Tickets:  $85 MALT members/$125 nonmembers.  MALT members can purchase one additional ticket for a guest at the $85 member price. Price includes farm-fresh snacks at rest stops and a farm-to-table BBQ with beverages at Nicasio Valley Farms. Proceeds benefit farmland preservation in West Marin.  To check out the jerseys, view the route maps, and register for Tour de MALT, click here. For more information and to register click here. Thank you to our Tour de MALT sponsors:     Autodesk, Bailiwick Wines, B|Brooks fine flowers®, California's Artisan Cheese Festival, Earl's Organic Produce, E&J Gallo Winery, Good Earth Natural Foods, Hendrickson Development, Inc., Lagunitas Brewing Company, Marin Natural Medicine Clinic, Mill Valley Market, Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, Nicholson Ranch, Rustic Bakery, Straus Family Creamery, Stubbs Vineyard, and Zuni Café.

Concert at Tara Firma in Petaluma - this Saturday!

Tara Firma Farm is hosting a concert on May 11th!

This is going to be a fantastic event! Whiskey and Circumstance is a young band of local farmers who have been playing together for years and are a fun and energetic style of cowboy folk. 

Here is a link for tickets:

http://concert.brownpapertickets.com

http://tarafirmafarms.com/live-concert-event

FarmLink, Community Alliance with Family Farms and Ag Innovations - Open House This Thursday!

Come join three sustainable agriculture organizations that all champion family farmers and healthy local food systems!  We've all become floormates in Sebastopol and would love for you to meet our teams, rub shoulders with farmer friends and your community of regional food advocates and sample tasty local food and drink!

This Thursday, April 25

4-7 pm

101 Morris St., 2nd Floor

Sebastopol

Support the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act!

Wherever there’s local food, there are farmers feeding communities and creating jobs. Farmers and ranchers are responding to skyrocketing demand for fresh, healthy food everywhere – at farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and in schools across the nation.

 

Here on Capitol Hill, your representatives have a chance to help support this growing movement! The Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act was just introduced in Congress, and it’s a bill that everyone – eaters and growers alike – can get behind. The bill creates jobs and increases access to fresh, healthy food in rural and urban communities.

 

The introduction of the bill means we have a chance to pass legislation that expands local and regional food systems, helps feed communities, and supports family farms.

 

So what happens next? Congress had the chance to include these critical needs in the 2012 Farm Bill, but their inability to pass that bill last year meant that the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act was left behind. Congress will begin working on the 2013 Farm Bill soon, so now is the time to ensure the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 is part of it!

 

For that to happen, the bill needs co-sponsors – legislators who will show their support for the bill and help to incorporate pieces of it in the next farm bill.

 

Will you ask your legislators to co-sponsor this bill today?

 

Legislator Contact Info HERE

 

Before you make a call, [check here]! If you see your legislator on this list of co-sponsors, make your call a THANK YOU call!

 

Tell your legislators:
I am a constituent and a voter. (tell ‘em if you’re a farmer!) I support local farmers, and I want good food in my community. Please co-sponsor the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 (S.679 and H.R.1414) today!

 

Thanks for speaking out! Your voice will make a difference! Want more information on the bill? Check it out here. [Link to sustainableagriculture.net/take-action]

Great Webinar from the Good Food Network!

Opportunity Knocks: Two Underutilized USDA Programs For Supporting Local and Regional Food Systems

April 25 (NEXT Thursday)
3:30-4:45pm ET / 12:30-1:45pm PT
Register now!

Are you a for-profit business, a nonprofit, or a state, local or tribal government looking to finance a local or regional food system project? Join this webinar to learn about two USDA programs you may never have heard of: the Business and Industry Loan Guarantee program and the Community Facilities Loan and Grant program. USDA Rural Development can providesignificant funding and technical assistance for local and regional food system infrastructure – andapplications are being accepted now. Learn from USDA program experts and recipients who have successfully used these programs on this webinar.

Special guest: Kathleen Merrigan, outgoing Deputy Secretary of USDA and a champion of local and regional food systems.
 

FREE - Register Now!

Last Change to Apply for Agropreneurs - Deadline extension to Friday April 19th!

2013 Sonoma County Agropreneurs' Training Application

The program includes:

·        Six months of customized training in farming & ranching; including crops and livestock, business operations, and marketing

·        Creating and completing crop, grazing and business plans with support from instructor and Small Business Development Counselors

·        Field days at local farms and ranches, including Shone Farm

·        Work experience through Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) to learn from master farmers & ranchers

·        Assistance finding affordable farming/ranching land, or farming or ranching opportunities

Instructors:

·        Robert Landry - SRJC College Sustainable Ag Instructor

·        Paul Vossen - Sonoma County UCCE - Small Farm Advisor & Ag Instructor 

·        Stephanie Larson – Sonoma County UCCE – Livestock instructor

·        Gayle Gladstone – SRJC Enterprise Instructor & Torrey Olson - Gabriel Farm owner and Business Instructor

Important Information & Dates:

·        Limited enrollment (up to 30)

·        Ag & business class days will be 6hrs, field days 4-5hrs. Classes are held at Santa Rosa Junior College's Shone Farm in the Pavilion. Directions: http://www.shonefarm.com/contact.shtml

·        Interviews for candidates who meet criteria will take place Fri. April 26, 2013

·        May 1 - notify accepted candidates

·        Class dates: One Friday per month of agricultural training; one Friday per month of business training; one Saturday per month of field days.

·        May 17, 18, 31

·        June 7, 15, 21

·        July 12, 20, 26

·        August 9, 17, 23

·        September 6, 14, 20

·        October 4, 12, 18

DEADLINE TO APPLY: April 19, 2013 

The cost of the program is $650.00, which includes cost of SRJC registration, continental breakfast, lunch (except on field days), materials, and California FarmLink membership. Full or partial payment is required upon acceptance to the program to secure your place. There are a limited number of scholarships available, based on demonstrated financial hardship that would prevent a selected candidate from participating. 

Requirements include:

·        farming/ranching experience - 1yr or more

·        Enroll through SRJC (included in your tuition)

·        Attend all classes, including March 29 orientation (either 9am-11am or 2pm-4pm)

·        Complete & present crop or grazing plan & business plan

·        Ability to provide own transportation to all classes, except field days (vans provided)

·        Course and activities are taught in English

If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact Linda Peterson, Program Coordinator(707)565-2648, ljpeterson@ucdavis.edu, or Fabiola Espinosa, Latino Service Providers Outreach Coordinator (707)799-2577, fespinosa@latinoserviceproviders.org.