The Finger Lakes region is home to many pioneers who have forged their own pathway in farming and food business. However this area is also home to several key agricultural networks and institutions which have paved the way for many of us to become successful entrepreneurs as well. Two of the peer networks that have been instrumental to Van Noble Farm’s success have been the Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming and the Ithaca Farmers’ Market—and we are happy to share that both organizations are currently hiring new leaders! If you know anyone who might be a good fit for these positions, we would greatly appreciate it if you would share the position descriptions and encourage them to apply. It is important that these organizations are driven by caring, knowledgeable individuals who are enthusiastic about continuing to develop our food system. As impressive as the legacy of agriculture is in the Finger Lakes, there is so much critical work to be done!
As a former staff person and participant in Groundswell Center training programs, I gained so much through the exposure to our local farm scene. After studying agricultural policy and land tenure for years, it was inspiring to be at the farms and shake hands with all of the coolest farmers. They were (and still are!) celebrities to me and the other aspiring farmers at Groundswell. It made such a big difference to be able to walk through their operations, to see how things were actually being done, and ask all the novice questions we could scribble down. Those farm tours and training workshops afforded each of us with the confidence to believe that we could also be successful at growing food for our community.
Groundswell’s core work is to foster a multicultural and diverse next generation of sustainable farmers and growers by lessening common barriers to land access, resources, and business ownership. Currently Groundswell is seeking the right person to be the Executive Director (ED)— a warm and open individual with experience in grassroots organizing, non-profit management, and sustainable agriculture & equitable food systems. The Groundswell community will provide the ED with a collaborative space to drive critical resources toward diverse food producers to bring equity and justice in agriculture closer to reality. For more information about this position, please refer to the Groundswell Employment page.
In 1973, the Ithaca Farmers Market was launched primarily by a group of eager farmers and is now a robust community of 130 food, farm, and craft businesses which thrive together at Steamboat Landing. The Market has gained national attention over the decades because of the warm, community atmosphere, the beautiful pavilion, and the aisles of gorgeous local food and artwork. The Market has maintained its policy that all vendors operate within a 30-mile radius of Ithaca, which has meant that it can only be a sales platform for truly local farms. This has turned into a standard of authenticity which customers and new farmers alike have come to rely on. There have been several generations of farm businesses to come and go from the Market over the years, and some who helped start the cooperative are still members today! As farmers and consumers, we are all very lucky to have this community resource continuing to thrive. We encourage you to check out the following staff positions currently being hired for at the Ithaca Farmers’ Market: Executive Director and Food Equity Project Assistant (new). As the Market is in the midst of a significant strategic transition, it is critical that motivated new leaders step into these positions, excited to carry this cooperative marketplace into the future.