Microgreens, onions, capsicum, garlic and zucchini flowers freshly harvested and beautifully presented for sale at the Stepping Stone Farm stall at SAGE Farmers Market in Moruya

Happy interns harvest their first crop of salad from the newly established garden beds at Stepping Stone Farm

26 July 2023

Stepping Stone Farm Educational Strategy Development

SAGE NSW Inc is nurturing a new generation of local farmers.

Grant Amount: $26,510

Region: NSW

Delivered by: SAGE NSW Inc.

Year funded: 2023

Project status: In progress

The Challenge

There are many barriers to becoming a farmer in Australia including access to land, capital and hands on learning. The average age of a farmer in this country is currently 57 which means there is an urgent need to support young farmers to enter the profession by addressing the challenges they face.

The Innovation

SAGE NSW Inc. is a not-for-profit community organisation involved in improving local food security. They currently manage the weekly award-winning SAGE Farmers Market, a program of education and social events, catering, a community food program to provide fresh food to local welfare groups, an educational garden and meeting place, and Stepping Stone Farm.

Stepping Stone Farm is a training and demonstration site for small-scale organic food production using ecological agricultural practices. The objective of this farm is to support, nurture and develop a new generation of local farmers and create a replicable model for “growing the growers” which can be picked up in other communities. Sustainable Table is funding the organisation to work toward a more robust model of education delivery for interns and volunteers.

The project's key objectives are:

Comprehensive, skills focussed training of market gardeners in ecologically and socially sustainable production
Increased local food security by increased local production and shorter supply chains
Better connection of consumers with their food supply and farmers via direct marketing of produce
Build food production skillsets in volunteers at Stepping Stone Farm whilst improving their mental and physical health and social connectedness.

Why did Sustainable Table fund this project?

SAGE / Stepping Stone Farm is delivering important training to new farmers. The organisation has an excellent reputation and a proven track record as a teaching farm. They have trained interns to a level of farming competence and helped them to start their own enterprises, continuing to support them long after their internships have ended.

What were the outcomes of this project?

Update - September, 2023

SAGE has developed a workshop series on productive vegetable gardening. From an introduction to organic market gardening through to harvesting and post-harvest care, the team are sharing practical skills and knowledge based on their experience.

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