ymca west cabarrus afton community farm report

West Cabarrus YMCA Afton Community Farm Design Development Report

cultivatisagriculturally focused sustainable environments

Design and development of agriculturally focused sustainable environments.

14 Oakland Ave SE Concord NC 28025 704/305.6654 [email protected]

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West Cabarrus YMCA

Afton Community Farm

Design Development Report

May 2015

Table of Contents:

Site Plan

Project Description 2

Site Development

Irrigation 3

Storage 4

Post-harvest Handling 4

Distribution 4

Security 5

Facilities 5

Equipment 6-7

Materials 7

Site Development Schedule 8-10

Farm Management

Farm Manager 11-13

Distribution Partnerships 14

Administration and Supervision 15

Fundraising and Promotional Coordination 15

Volunteer Coordination Strategies 16

Sustainability and Safety Recommendations 16

Costing 17-20

Appendix

mailto:[email protected]



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Afton Community Farm is a collaborative projected sponsored by the West Cabarrus

YMCA, McGill Baptist Church, Cooperative Christian Ministry and Concord First

Assembly aimed at growing fresh vegetables to help alleviate hunger in Cabarrus

County. Afton Community Farm uses commercial farming techniques and offers

volunteer opportunities to citizens interested in helping feed those in our community

who are food insecure.

Many individuals, businesses, civic

organizations and communities of faith in

Cabarrus County recognize the need to help

children, families and adults in need of food

assistance in our community and are actively

seeking a way to help! Afton Community Farm

offers just such an opportunity.

Afton Community Farm has three main objectives:

1. Alleviate hunger by providing fresh vegetables to established efforts to assist

hungry families.

2. Raise awareness regarding hunger in our community and promote a volunteer-

based solution to addressing the problem.

3. Educate our citizens about the values associate with sustainable agriculture and

good nutrition.

Afton Community Farm is operated by the West Cabarrus YMCA, relying on the

expertise embodied in that organization regarding facilities management, volunteer

coordination and community outreach.

The farm site is hosted by Mc Gill Baptist Church, providing safe and easy access,

utilities and operational support.

Distribution of fresh vegetables produced at Afton Community Farm will be coordinated

by ACF staff, ensuring produce is delivered to Cooperative Christian Ministry and

Concord First Assembly to be further distributed using their existing food pantry

network with the help of their established volunteer transportation network.




3

Site Development

Irrigation System

o Irrigation well with fixed speed pump, 64 gallon pressure tank,

(LOMAX) vented well house with space heater

o 3 Zone Drip Irrigation System

4 header pipe setups

200’ schedule 40 – 1” PVC pipe

1” plastic microscreen Filter

1’ pre-set, 12 gpm pressure reducer

2 Rolls of 10,000’ 5/8” Drip tape

Mazzei injection liquid fertigation system

52 US Gallon Food Grade Drum

Injector Unit with bypass mainline, 8’ suction hose,

backflow check valve, main line control valve,

pressure gauge and stand

o Overhead Sprinkler setup

4 sprinkler heads

4 stands

o Hoses

(3) 100’ ¾” Commercial Hoses

(4) 50’ ¾” Medium Grade Hoses

(2) 25’ ¾” Medium Grade Hoses




4

Storage

o (1) 20’ Shipping container

o (1) 20’ Modified shipping container

Electricity

Tool Shelving and storage

o (2) Thermostatically-controlled ventilation systems

o (2) Dayton U31 Portable Electric Radiant Convection Space Heater

Post-Harvest Handling

o (1) Modified shipping container

Electricity

Water

(2) 90 X 24 X 44” Triple bay wash sinks

(2) 84 X 24 X 35” packing tables with 5” backsplash

o Kold Locker, Outdoor Cooler +35F 6'x 14'x 7'-7''

o Thermostatically-controlled ventilation systems

o Dayton U31 Portable Electric Radiant Convection Space Heater

o (10) Igloo 94 quart marine cooler

o 5 gal. salad spinner

o Ice-O-Matic 115V ICE0400 528 lb/day

20 x 30 x 24 Ice Machine

o LEWISBins Stack-N-Nest Agricultural Container

AF2013-6, 19-11/16"L x 13-1/8"W x 5-5/8"H

Distribution

o Used Truck

o Modified refrigerated trailer




5

Security

o 750’ Framed cattle panel fencing

o Stafix X1 Energizer, 10 watt Solar Panel with

voltage regulator, steel frame and battery box

o 12-volt deep cycle battery sold separately

o Poly wire, insulators, and misc fittings

o (2) Gates

Facilities

o 34'X48' Noreaster heated, vented and

cooled greenhouse

o Logistics Center

(1) Modified Shipping Container

Electricity

Water

5’ ADA unisex bathroom

15’ Office space w window




6

Equipment

o Grillo G107D Tractor

11.5 hp Yamaha Gas Engine

Grillo Female Quick Coupling

FF Adder Foam Filled Tires 5x12

MISC. Debris Screen for Yamaha MZ360

Berta Franco Single Rotary Plow for Grillo

27" Tiller w/ Splined PTO

Male Quick Coupling 5 CM

Berta 26" Flail Mower for Grillo

Aldo Biagioli Root Digger Plow

Mini-bedshaper (32" wide beds max) w/ Disk Hillers

Tool Carrier w/ Mounting Slot (fits Aldo Biagioli

Aldo Biagioli Tow Hitch/Drawbar For Grillo 5cm

Set of "Barbell" Wheel Weight Hanger Posts - Short-Grill0

1 Ramp G-3

7.5 lb. Std "Barbell" Weight Plate with 1" center hole

10 lb. Std "Barbell" Weight Plate with W2 A-1 1" center hole

o Husqvarna 430LS commercial weed trimmer

o Husqvarna Husqvarna YTH23V48 Mower

48" Deck 23 HP Briggs Engine

o Seed Starting Equipment

Flat Trays of various sizes

(4) Commercial heat mats

Four outlet digital thermostat

o (2) 5’ X 4000’ Black Plastic Mulch

o (2) 5’ 4000’ White Plastic Mulch




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o (4) 4X4 150’ weld wire (for support)

o (25) 16’ X 60” cattle panel (for crop support)

o (200) 6’ Tpost

o (3) Backpack sprayers

o County Line Trailer Sprayer, 30 gal. Capacity

o Jang Seeder

o Glasser Wheel Hoe

o Red Dragon Flamer

o Hand Tools

roundhead shovels

squarehead shovels

straight hoes

stirrup hoes

collinear hoes

trapezoid hoes

wheel hoes

hard rakes

bed prep rakes

cultivators

wire weeder

digging forks

broadfork

tilther

trowels

seeders

pruners

Materials

o Soil Amendments

50 Yards Worm Castings

360 Yards

Tractor work

Cover crop seed

o Fertilizers

o Pesticides

o Herbicides




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Site Development Schedule

Signed Lease Agreement June 2015

Irrigation System

o Well Installation July 2015

o Drip and Spray System Installation September

2015

o System Winterization October 2015

o System Testing (warm season operations and fertigation) March 2016

Storage

o Shipping container setup August 2015

o Modified shipping container August 2015

Post-Harvest Handling

o Modified shipping container January 2016

o Kold Locker February 2016

o Ice-O-Matic 115V ICE0400 February 2016

o Other Supply Purchases March 2016

Distribution

o Truck Purchase July 2015

o Pack N Cool Construction February 2016

Security

o Fence Installation September

2015




9

Facilities

o Greenhouse Installation November

2015

o Logistics Center December

2015

Equipment

o County Line Trailer Sprayer June 2015

o Grillo G107D Tractor September

2015

o Husqvarna mower and trimmer April 2016

o Other Equipment Purchases October 2015




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Soil Conditioning Schedule

o Herbicide Spray #1 June 15th 2015

o Herbicide Spray #1 July 1st 2015

o Herbicide Spray #1 July 15th 2015

o Grading July 21st 2015

o Worm Castings Application #1 August 1st

2015

o Worm Castings Application #2 October 1st

2015

o Worm Castings Application #3 April 1st 2015

o Worm Castings Application #4 August 1st

2016

o Compost Application #1 October 2015

o Compost Application #2 April15th 2016

o Cover Crop Installation #1 August 1st

2015

o Cover Crop Installation #2 October 1st

2015

o Cover Crop Installation #3 April 15th 2016

o Cover Crop Installation #4 June 1st 2016

o Cover Crop Installation #5 August 1st

2016




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Farm Management

General Farm Management Plan

Afton Community Farm daily operations will be overseen by

Farm Manager

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Full-time farm manager: 40 hrs/week

Staff employee with benefits

One year contract on a renewable basis, pending further funding o Compensation:

$40,000/yr

Reports to Executive Director West Cabarrus/Harrisburg YMCA; quarterly written

reports to YMCA Board of Directors, biannual in-person reports to YMCA Board of

Directors

QUALIFICATIONS:

The Farm Manager should have the following qualifications and experience

A minimum of three years farming experience

Familiarity with all aspects of running a small scale intensive farm

Knowledgeable and committed to upholding sustainable principles and requirements

Experience with basic farm equipment operation, maintenance and upkeep

Proficiency in Word and Excel for recordkeeping and reporting purposes

Maintain filing system for all records

Develop budget for Farm Manager expenses (in conjunction with YMCA)

Keep ledger of Farm Manager expenses

Keep calendar/schedule

Excellent communication and organizational skills

Experience working with volunteers and interns




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RESPONSIBILITIES:

Oversee day-to-day operations of Afton Community Farm, including but not limited to:

maintenance and upkeep of farm equipment and farm buildings used in projects; coordination

of water needs and irrigation set-ups for project operations; primary volunteer coordinator-

serving as information resource for volunteers; coordination of produce deliveries biweekly to

hunger relief agency partners, project-related farm tours and educational workshops.

DUTIES:

Mowing

Equipment procurement (as directed) and maintenance of tractors, tillers, pumps,

mowers, weed trimmers, sprayers, cooler and other equipment.

Irrigation, fertility, greenhouse management, integrated pest management, soil

conditioning, cover crop rotation and harvesting. Maintenance of post-harvest handling

Fuel supply: maintenance and keeping records

Track use of equipment and submit usage information to YMCA

Assist in design, procurement of materials and implementation and construction of

infrastructure upgrades




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Farm Manager is expected to

Consult with YMCA Executive Director and Board of Directors on farm operations,

purchase of new equipment, replacement of equipment, marketing ideas, short and long

range planning, troubleshooting issues

Cooperate with other non-profits, government agencies and non-government

organizations to enhance Afton Community Farm productivity

Attend pertinent conferences, meetings, workshops whenever feasible.

Provide all volunteer information to YMCA Executive Director on a weekly basis,

including dates and time worked on the farm.

Farm Manager has authority to:

Make daily operating decisions

Make purchases within budget limits as set by YMCA ED and BOD

Use office resources and assistance from Executive Director and YMCA office staff for

conducting farm/garden related business




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Distribution Partnerships

Hunger relief agency partners in the area include Cooperative Christian Ministry and Concord

First Assembly. Both agencies having existing hunger relief efforts serving the Cabarrus

County community. Procuring fresh vegetables is a hardship for these aid agencies and

produce grown at Afton Community Farm is dedicated to addressing this issue.

Issues:

1.

Vegetable distribution.

Cooperative Christian Ministry and Concord First

Assembly are both limited in staff and volunteer

capacity. Delivering vegetables to these agencies,

and not relying on their existing resources for

pickup of these vegetables, is key to the success of

this project. Equipment in the form of a truck and

refrigerated trailer will need to be acquired,

appropriately registered, insured and maintained, as

well as safely parked when not in use. The ACF

Manager will oversee the appropriate delivery of

vegetables to the aid agencies on Tuesdays and

Thursdays each week.

2. Variety

Hunger relief agencies struggle to provide a variety of vegetables and are inundated with certain

seasonal items. The ACF should coordinate with agencies to create production plans that avoid

producing more of these vegetables already in large supply.

3. Educational Support

Those individuals and families in need of hunger relief aid often lack knowledge and skills

necessary to best use some fresh vegetables. A future project in need of coordination will be the

education associated with preparing vegetables. Identifying cooking class, preparation

handbooks and other community resources already in place would be a great first step, followed

by the development of other resources specific to the needs identified in our community not

being met.




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Administration and Supervision

The Farm Manager will report to the Executive Director of the West Cabarrus/Harrisburg

YMCA. The Farm Manager will provide weekly in person or conference call reports to the

Executive Director and will provide quarterly written reports to YMCA Board of Directors and

biannual in-person reports to YMCA Board of Directors.

The Executive Director will be responsible for fund acquisition and provide guidance and

oversight to the Farm Manager during the annual budgeting process. YMCA staff will be

responsible for assistance the Farm manager including volunteer recruitment and coordination,

financial reporting and fundraising and record keeping.

Fundraising and Promotional Coordination

The West Cabarrus YMCA will host an Afton Community Farm Strategy Dinner and invite

partners and key community leaders to attend. The purpose of the dinner will be to capture

ideas regarding the startup and operational funding of the Afton Community Farm. Partners

should include but are not limited to:

YMCA Board of Directors and key supporters

McGill Baptist Church leaders

Cooperative Christian Ministry Key Staff and Board of Directors

Concord First Assembly Leadership

CMC Northeast and Northeast Foundation Leaders

The Cabarrus Farm and Food Council supports a Long Term Hunger Relief Committee capable

of assisting in the preparations for such a dinner.




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Volunteer Coordination Strategies

The Cannon Memorial YMCA should develop promotional material aimed at recruitment of

volunteers willing and wanting to aid in the labor of the Afton Community Farm including:

Online and in print material aimed specifically at ACF recruitment.

The incorporation of future broad-based Cannon YMCA promotional material to include

information about ACF.

Specific targeting of communities of faith already interested in growing food to alleviate hunger.

Specific targeting of garden clubs interested in growing food to alleviate hunger.

Partnerships with: Cooperative Extension Cabarrus County, the Master Gardeners of Cabarrus

County, the Elma C. Lomax Incubator Farm, and the Cabarrus Farm and Food Council, CHA.

Sustainability and Safety Recommendations

It is recommended that the Afton Community Farm develop farm protocol in coordination with

the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). Decisions about appropriate types of seeds,

farming techniques and use of specific chemical fertilizers and pesticides will need to be made.

Rather than developing a farm protocol from scratch, it will be easier to follow existing protocol

as described in the NOP. Use of this program will also decrease input costs over time.

It is recommended that the Afton Community

Farm adopt USDA Good Agricultural Practices

(GAP) as a protocol for food safety. Vegetables

from ACF are not sold and therefore are not

subject to existing food regulations or the

planned FDA Food Safety and Modernization

Act (FSMA). However food safety is a real

concern and proper harvesting, washing,

packing, handling and transport are key to

providing food safe to eat for hunger relief

efforts.


http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=organic-agriculture.html

http://www.feastdowneast.org/GAPselfaudit.pdf

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/



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West Cabarrus YMCA Afton Community Farm

Costing Analysis *Costs that could beavoided or delayed shown in red

Irrigation $11,118.00 Sep-15

1 Well $8,000.00 $8,000.00

3 Header Setups

$61.00 $183.00

1000 1" PVC $1.00 $1,000.00

3 Filters $35.00 $105.00

3 Pressure Reducer

$25.00 $75.00

4 frost free hydrant

$75.00 $300.00

2 Drip tape rolls

$275.00 $550.00

1 Mazzei Injector

$165.00 $165.00

4 Sprinklers $25.00 $100.00

3 100' Hosees $80.00 $240.00

4 50' Hoses $40.00 $160.00

2 25' Hoses $20.00 $40.00

1 Misc. Fittings and tools

$200.00 $200.00

Storage $21,620.00 Aug-15




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1 Shipping container

$8,000.00 $8,000.00

1 Modified shipping container

$13,000.00 $13,000.00

2 Ventilation $175.00 $350.00

2 Heaters $135.00 $270.00

Post-harvest Handling $42,885.00

1 Modified shipping container

$28,000.00

$28,000.00 Jan-16

1 Walkin cooler

$9,600.00 $9,600.00 Feb-16

1 Ice Machine $2,350.00 $2,350.00 Feb-16

10 Marine coolers

$80.00 $800.00 Mar-16

1 Salad spinner

$225.00 $225.00 Mar-16

40 Harvest Bins $40.00 $1,600.00 Mar-16

1 Ventilation $175.00 $175.00 Mar-16

1 Heaters $135.00 $135.00 Mar-16

Distribution $11,000.00

1 Used Truck $7,500.00 $7,500.00 Jul-15

1 Pack N Cool Trailer

$3,500.00 $3,500.00 Feb-16

Security $3,190.00 Sep-15




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750 Feet of Fencing

n/a n/a

1 Energizer $500.00 $500.00

1 Marine Battery

$90.00 $90.00

1 Misc. Fittings

$100.00 $100.00

2 gates $1,250.00 $2,500.00

Facilities $54,851.00

1 Greenhouse $13,851.00 $13,851.00 Nov-15

1 Logistics Center

$41,000.00 $41,000.00 Dec-15

Equipment $20,387.00

1 Walk-behind tractor

$7,262.00 $7,262.00 Sep-15

1 Weed Trimmer

$450.00 $450.00 Apr-16

1 Mower $1,800.00 $1,800.00 Apr-16

1 Seed Starting

$915.00 $915.00 Oct-15

2 Black Plastic Mulch

$250.00 $500.00 Oct-15

2 White Plastic Mulch

$250.00 $500.00 Oct-15

4 Welded Wire Support

$125.00 $500.00 Oct-15

25 Cattle Panel Support

$20.00 $500.00 Oct-15

200 T Posts $4.00 $800.00 Oct-15

3 Backpack Sprayers

$95.00 $285.00 Oct-15




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1 Boom Sprayer

$350.00 $350.00 Oct-15

1 Jang Seeder $750.00 $750.00 Oct-15

1 Glasser Wheel Hoe

$500.00 $500.00 Oct-15

1 Red Dragon Flamer

$275.00 $275.00 Oct-15

1 Set of Hand Tools

$5,000.00 $5,000.00 Oct-15

Materials $16,350.00

50 Yards of worm castings

$75.00 $3,750.00 2015-16

360 Yards of compost

$35.00 $12,600.00 2015-16

SITE DEVELOPMENT $181,401.00

Labor $15,200.00

1 Grading $2,000.00 $2,000.00 Jul-15

416 Management - 8 Hours X 52 weeks

$30.00 $12,480.00 2015-16

24 Pack N Cool $30.00 $720.00 Feb-16

Greenhouse Construction

n/a Nov-15


ymca west cabarrus afton community farm report

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