Thank you to those that were able to join us at the Seeds of Hope Celebrations at Bader Philanthropies and Talisen Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center! Whether you were a Seed Money recipient who shared your story with us, our host, or a friend of Food, Faith and Farming Network your presence helped us to further our mission.
To see short descriptions of our 2023 Seed Money projects, please click here.
Check back soon for information on how to apply for our 2024 Southwestern WI Seed Money Grants.
We are grateful to Bader Philanthropies, Inc for the grant that funded our work in SE Wisconsin and to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, Compeer Financial, Wisconsin Farmers Union and individual contributors in SW Wisconsin for making this initiative possible.
Our 2023-2024 Market season has begun! We are eager to continue connecting rural and urban communities through local healthy food events and we hope you will join us. You can find our current Winter Farmers Market schedule and event locations here.
“Like” our Facebook page or find us on Instagram for event news, photos and updates.
Interested in hosting a market? Want to learn more? Visit our programs page for more details or Contact our Farmers Market Coordinator, Lynn Parkhurst, at lynnparkhurstfffn@gmail.com.
Cole Compton is the Lead Urban Farmer at Kinship Community Food Center and Urban Farm. His work in the field of urban farming presents him with the opportunity to make a profound impact in the community through his commitment to and knowledge of sustainable farming practices. At an early age, Cole discovered his deep-rooted love for gardening and farming. His journey into the world of agriculture began when he started his own business as a teenager, attending farmers markets and co-ops where he sold his hand-crafted terrariums. This entrepreneurial spirit and connection to the land laid the foundation for his future endeavors in sustainable agriculture.
As Kinship’s Lead Urban Farmer, Cole inspires and motivates hundreds of dedicated volunteers by sharing Kinship’s vision. Cole brings his youthful passion and dedication to urban farming, community building, and creating positive change in the world to the work of Food, Faith and Farming Network.
Mary Jo Jiter resides in Kenosha with her husband Brent. They have three adult children and are members of Messiah Lutheran Church. She has a bachelor’s degree in communication and holds a Master of Educational Administration. Mary Jo has over 13 years of marketing and communications experience, primarily in higher education. She is currently the owner/freelancer of M Triple J Project Solutions LLC. She has worked in nonprofit development roles and has served on a number of nonprofit boards and committees. She also worked in the early childhood field and as an American Red Cross instructor. Mary Jo grew up on a dairy farm in Deerbrook, Wisconsin and still gets back to her roots through her home gardening and composting. She is mission driven and looks forward to serving the greater community through her board service.
Shannon McGuire is a project manager with over 25 years of experience, primarily within K-20 educational systems, in program development, implementation, and evaluation. She is a “big picture” organizer, connecting people and resources to build capacity in groups she works with. Raised in New Glarus, WI, Shannon learned the value of servant leadership as vital to the success of a community and that good stewardship of our natural resources is everyone’s responsibility. Her desire to provide healthy food options and socialization for our aging population has led to her current position as the coordinator of JOY (Just Older Youth) at Norway Lutheran Church in Wind Lake. Shannon and her husband raised their three children on seven acres of an old farmstead in Waterford, WI, where she spends as much time as she can gardening, hiking, and reading.
Sue Nelson resides in rural Southwestern Green County. Her love of the country brought her there and keeps her there. She and her husband steward 14 acres of diverse habitat with woodlands, prairie, and animal habitat, along with some crop land. She is excited to bring her people skills - communication, problem solving, flexibility and dependability to the board. Using these skills, she has been the chair, lead, or a member of various organizations. She is currently serving as a County Board Supervisor, District 10 of Green County, chairing the Agriculture and Extension Educators committee, as well as being a member of Zoning, Board of Health and Land & Water Conservation committees. During her second term, she introduced a resolution put forth through the Health Committee for a non-binding referendum on Clean Water. This was approved on the November 2022 ballot with the highest percentage of votes in the state - 84%. She is active in the Multicultural Outreach Program, a regional nonprofit that supports refugees in the area. She is a member of the Women, Food and Agriculture Network, South Central Farmers Union, and the Soil Sisters. She is honored to have been asked to accept a position on the Food, Faith and Farming Board of Directors.
Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Cole, Mary Jo, Shannon and Sue!
