1 of 17

Welcome! Tech troubleshooting...

-Select “Join with computer audio”

-Please place yourself on mute (button on bottom toolbar)

-Feel free to type in questions to the chat box on your right

2 of 17

Today's webinar!

Communication Styles for Positive Farm Apprenticeships

�In this webinar, facilitated by MOFGA, host farms will learn communication skills to smooth apprentice relationships, including how to resolve conflict, communicate expectations and structure in-season check-ins. Polly Shyka of Villageside Farm in Freedom, Maine, will present her experience hosting apprentices for the past 12 years and prioritizing clear, nonviolent communication.

  • ​
  • -Tech tutorial of webinar platform
  • -Introductions
  • -Polly Shyka from Villageside Farm in Freedom, Maine
  • -Questions, answers, and discussion
  • **Please note this webinar is being recorded**

3 of 17

To find out whose land you are on, see:

https://native-land.ca/

​

4 of 17

MOFGA apprenticeship program

  • Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association based in Unity, ME
  • Apprenticeship program for 45 years
  • 50 apprenticeship host farms throughout the state varying in scale and forms of production

5 of 17

Upcoming webinar: Supporting Beginning Farmer Learning

October 29, 2019

Tuesday, 1 p.m. EST

In this webinar apprenticeship host farms will learn about beginning farmer learning stages to support the growth of new farmers and to encourage independent learners.

Julie Sullivan, rancher, founding mentor for Quivira Coalition’s New Agrarian Program and apprenticeship host farmer since 2003, will discuss farm-based experiential learning and how to encourage apprentices to take leadership in their learning trajectory.

Laura Paine, program director for the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, will introduce types of learning and lead an interactive discussion on how these styles can help guide host farmers’ interactions with apprentices.

Registration link in the chat box or visit the MOFGA website at mofga.org/MOFGA-events

6 of 17

Communication is a Critical Farming Skill (and should be systematized on your farm)

7 of 17

What are we trying to do?

Grow great food.

Make a living.

Improve soils.

Build sturdy, resilient businesses.

Enjoy easeful relationships.

Be professionals.

Challenge ourselves.

Have some fun.

​

​

8 of 17

9 of 17

Communication

Building a set of skills

+

Repetition/Making a plan to practice

=

A very important system for your business.

10 of 17

Communication Systems include

​

Emails

Phone Calls

Before hiring communications

Employee manuals

At hiring > Interviewing, reference checks

At hiring > Negotiating

Expectations

Trainings

​

​

​

​

​

Whiteboards/chalkboards/clipboards

Meals, parties, celebrations

Daily, weekly Meetings

Instructions: Know your style and your team’s skills

Corrections: Not personal, happen everyday

Disagreements > Repairs

Exit interviews

​

​

11 of 17

HOW?

Here are some skills...

SELF

  • Body scan for physical or emotional turbulence
  • Self-care activities: What is your unique vitamin?
  • Identify your stress patterns and communicate them to those around you.
  • Learning about yourself through counseling, journaling, movement, meditation

​

BELOVED and/or FARM BUSINESS PARTNER

  • Weekly meetings to plan
    • Prep well for meetings
    • Keep meetings concise
  • Clear expectations = Tidy boundaries around workday and division of labor
  • Daily check-ins to stay on track
  • Reconnect personally... often
    • “How are you doing with….”
  • Don’t let things build up.
    • “Can we check in about…”
  • Use I-messages, speak feelings and needs
    • “I feel concerned about how dirty the lettuce was this morning. I need to talk about how to get that cleaner in the wash tubs.”

​

​

12 of 17

EMPLOYEES and APPRENTICES

​

  • CLEAR EXPECTATIONS start with an EMPLOYEE MANUAL
    • Hiring details: payday, logging hours, trial period, tax and insurance specifics
    • Work day expectations: attire, breaks, timeliness, efficiency
    • Communication expectations: mode and style
    • Scheduling: time-off, sick days, etc.
    • Food safety training
    • Equipment safety training
    • Substances
    • Customer interactions
    • Personal conduct
    • Living/eating spaces
  • Learn and to be a good listener.
  • Consider Mentorship. Who was an important mentor in your life? How did they treat you? Others?

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

13 of 17

  • Ask about employees’ needs and expectations.
  • Learn your instructional style and work to be clear, consistent and concise .
  • Create a workplace culture that is respectful, collaborative, fun.
  • Use I statements/NVC
  • Learn how to make corrections in the moment: fairly, kindly, non-personally
  • Reflect on your part of any difficult interaction/situation
    • Ladder of Inference tool
  • Learn to make a REAL apology
    • Not “I am sorry you feel that way…”
    • But rather, “I am sorry I lost my temper with you. I didn’t need to yell. I want to do better and I will try to stay calmer in the future so that I do not cause hurt feelings.”
  • Move forward, propose a solution
  • Revisit difficult conversations at a later date
    • “How is that conversation we had settling out with you?”

​

14 of 17

Non

Violent

Communication

~Marshall Rosenberg

​

Observations

Feelings

Needs

Requests

​

​

15 of 17

Communication systems are worth the effort.

​

​

16 of 17

Questions? Comments?

Feel free to write it in the chat box or unmute yourself to ask out loud

Thank you!

17 of 17

National Ag Apprenticeship Learning Network

  • Hosted by the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project in MA
  • A network of partner organizations working to support apprenticeship programs across the country
  • More resources on the website including: Apprenticeship Toolkit, the previously recorded webinars, and a resource library
  • https://nesfp.org/agapprenticeship
  • Please look for an evaluation for this webinar in the chat box and in your email!

​