Guides

Farm to Institution Food Safety Basics

Published on April 20, 2022
Institutional buyers have a variety of options to verify their produce suppliers’ food safety practices. This resource includes videos, case studies, and links to additional information to learn about on-farm produce safety practices.
Funding Sources for Food-Related Businesses, Seventh Edition

Published on April 8, 2022
The seventh edition of this directory provides an overview of various financing sources available to food-related businesses in Michigan and across the United States.
An Annotated Bibliography on Structural Racism Present in the U.S. Food System, Ninth Edition

Published on March 14, 2022
An annotated bibliography of resources and publications on structural racism in the U.S. food system. The ninth edition contains over 500 annotated references.
Alimentos Locales para Pequeños Comensales: Una Guía de Migrant & Seasonal Head Start para la Compra de Alimentos Locales

Published on May 20, 2019
Programas de Head Start Migrante y Estacional pueden aprender a comprar y usar más alimentos cultivados localmente en sus programas que sirven niños de trabajadores agrícolas migrantes y estacionales.
Granja para los migrantes y de temporada Head Start en acción

Published on May 20, 2019
Esta guía demuestra programas de granja para Migrant and Seasonal Head Start por toda la nación, los cuales compran y sirven alimentos locales.
Measuring Racial Equity in the Food System: Established and Suggested Metrics

Published on May 6, 2019
This tool contains 86 metrics to help hold ourselves accountable for progress towards a more equitable food system.
Hoophouse Production and Marketing Guide

Published on January 7, 2019
This guide provides suggestions and parameters for hoophouse planting, crop spacing, realistic yields, common cultivars, and direct market and wholesale pack sizes and pricing.
Farm to Migrant and Seasonal Head Start In Action

Published on November 1, 2018
This guide profiles Farm to Migrant and Season Head Start programs nationwide who are purchasing and serving local food.
Local Food for Little Eaters: A Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Guide to Local Food Purchasing

Published on November 1, 2018
Using the step-by-step instructions and interactive tools, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs can learn how to purchase and use more local foods in their programs serving children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
2018 Charter Summary

Published on October 19, 2018
This summary reports on progress made toward achieving the 2020 goals set by the Michigan Good Food Charter.
Michigan Guide to What's in Season Now - Print-at-Home

Published on October 3, 2018
Print, fold, and carry this guide somewhere handy. Check it when you're at the store, farmer’s market, or eating out so that you can enjoy Michigan-grown produce all year long!
Michigan Guide to What's in Season Now - Mobile Version

Published on October 3, 2018
Save this guide to your mobile phone. Check it when you’re at the store, farmer’s market, or eating out so that you can support Michigan farmers all year long.
Seed Production Guide Curriculum for Malawi - A Farmer Field School Approach

Published on April 1, 2018
This is a manual to guide educators across the globe to help farmers learn to grow legume seed for production and for sale. The information on teaching suggests using a participatory and experiential learning approach.
Action Learning: Teaching Others to Engage with Learners

Published on April 1, 2018
Everyone can learn; it’s just that not all people learn best with the same approach. This module offers a mixture of different teaching approaches to maximize learning by all.
Market Channel Selection Tool

Published on January 29, 2018
This part of the Toolbox for Vegetable Farm Viability provides a look at potential considerations when choosing which channel or market option you might use to sell what you raise.
Sizing Up Diverse Vegetable Farms: A Narrative Companion to the Scale of Production Matrix

Published on January 29, 2018
This part of the Toolbox for Vegetable Farm Viability provides a look at potential infrastructure, equipment, time and labor investments, as well as skill development and possible sales and income for different size small farms.
Scale of Production Matrix

Published on January 29, 2018
This part of the Toolbox for Vegetable Farm Viability provides a detailed look at potential infrastructure and equipment investments for different size small farms to help in planning and growth.
Pathways to $100K in Farm Sales: A Starting Point for Reaching Farm Sustainability

Published on January 29, 2018
This part of the Toolbox for Vegetable Farm Viability provides a look at sales volumes, pricing and outlets you might need to reach $100,000 in sales.
Beginning Farmers: Finding the Money You Need

Published on November 3, 2017
This guide is meant to provide a road map to loan readiness and conventional and alternative credit access for beginning farmers. Access to financial capital is one of the largest obstacles for beginning farmers.
Beginning Farmers: 10 Steps to Loan Readiness

Published on October 30, 2017
At some point, most farmers need to make some changes and grow to sustain their business. Based on his lending work with hundreds of Michigan farmers, Mike Jordon developed the 10 steps contained in this guide to aid the growth of farming operations.