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Help Support Beginning Farmers at the CWC Farm Incubator through the Lander Community Foundation’s Challenge for Charities!

Help Support Beginning Farmers at the CWC Farm Incubator through the Lander Community Foundation’s Challenge for Charities!

Farmers working on the farm at the Alpine Science Institute

As a community college, we know local. And we want to help aspiring and beginning farmers grow nutritious foods by developing financially and environmentally sustainable farm businesses in central Wyoming. An integral part supporting and educating beginning farmers is through the CWC Farm Incubator.

What is a farm incubator?

A farm incubator  is a land-based multi-grower project that provides training and technical assistance to aspiring and beginning farmers.  Like traditional business incubators, farm incubators aim to help new and beginning farm entrepreneurs establish their own successful businesses by providing specific resources and services that are difficult for start-up entrepreneurs to access on their own. 

With land access as a barrier to farm start-ups, the CWC Farm Incubator provides farm plots, irrigation, technical support and mentoring for new small-scale farmers.  This is such an essential resource for beginning farmers and we want to ensure that this program is available for future farmers for many years to come.  The money raised this year during the Lander Community Foundation’s Challenge for Charities will be used for incubator farmers to assist with start-up and operating costs for their new farm businesses.

Launched in the summer of 2022, as part of the CWC Alpine Science Institute’s Beginning Farmer Training Program, the CWC Farm Incubator provides the following resources to its participants:

Land

  • The incubator leases farm plots ranging in size from one-eighth to one-quarter acre for beginning farming students who have completed a business plan and don’t have access to their own farmland to start their business.

Infrastructure

  • Low cost access to equipment and tools.
  • Low cost access to infrastructure such as a hoop house and geodesic dome greenhouse, walk in coolers, as well as produce washing and processing facilities.
  •  Access to utilities like irrigation, water, and electricity.

Knowledge

  • Create opportunities for ongoing training through workshops, classes, and field trips.
  • Connect participants to outside experts and/or mentor farmers.
  • Provide ongoing one-on-one technical assistance with all aspects of farm operation.

Markets

  • Help participants find and enter farmers’ markets, restaurants, and other sales markets.
  • Establish or support the establishment of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.

Capital

  • Work with participants to develop the recordkeeping tools and skills they will need to apply for loans, grants and other sources of capital.
  • Assist participants with business and market planning.

In its inaugural year, the farmers with incubator plots sold their produce throughout the summer at the Lander Valley and Thermopolis Farmers’ Markets.  Additionally, they sold their produce on the Eat Wyoming online farmers’ market platform and donated excess produce to the Lander Care and Share Food Bank.  

Donate Here

OR to donate by check:

Please make your check payable to: Lander Community Foundation and note  you’d like your donation directed to CWC.  Mail to:

Lander Community Foundation
PO Box 1131
Lander, WY 82520