Crosshatch was awarded $50,000 through the Extension Risk Management Education Competitive Grants Program, a program of the US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Crosshatch will utilize the grant to provide programming for small farmers in Northwest Lower Michigan in regenerative agriculture, agroforestry and renewable energy, reducing risk for farmers facing challenges in the current financial climate and helping them to adapt to weather shocks.

Workshops will include silvopasture and alley cropping; forest farming; living fences and hedgerows; on-farm renewable energy; and carbon farming.

In partnership with the NWMI Small Business and Development Center and Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse and Antrim Conservation Districts, farmers will be provided with individual follow-up sessions to develop and implement business and agroforestry plans.

The popular Twilight Tours series—free farm tours by farmers for farmers— will focus on examples of regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and renewable energy in practice.