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While crops are grown, community and collaboration roots are developed for new听Americans听at the听New American Farmers Cooperative in Manchester, New Hampshire.听Charlene Higgins, a听听graduate student,听helped this group of farmers听reach their goal听to increase听their farm cooperative鈥檚 impact听through her听听capstone听project.听听

The听听is a farm enterprise formed by immigrants to听achieve听shared goals of听increased self-sufficiency, profitability听and long-term听farm听sustainability.听In partnership with听these听farmers,听Higgins鈥櫶齝apstone project听provided technical assistance and training听to听help build capacity and听address听the听need听for effective co-op management and听access听to听consistent, secure听and profitable听markets.听听听

鈥淭he co-op farmers are听[now]听equipped with additional tools, skills听and knowledge to help them successfully reach their self-defined goals听within the co-op, and within their communities,鈥� Higgins says.听These tools听include strategies to attract and retain community听supported听agriculture (CSA)听members, establish听wholesale accounts and launch a听donation program where individuals can donate a CSA听share to a local refugee family in need.听

Through听this听work,听Higgins says she sharpened听her project management skills, expanded her theoretical framework听and听learned to think听thoughtfully听and intentionally听about how theory informs听practice. She also credits the capstone experience with听strengthening听her听research听skills听and听teaching her how听to听problem-solve听both creatively听and critically.听Higgins听encourages future听Carsey School Master in Community Development听students to use their听capstone project experience to听鈥溾��not only share your learning with the community you are working with听but to learn from them and learn with them while co-creating knowledge and solutions.鈥澨�听