QT+ BIPOC 101 Tractor Training & Retreat
Description: 101 Tractor Training is offered for Queer and Trans (QT) farmers and Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) adults (18+) to learn the basics of tractor safety, identify key parts of a 4 wheel tractor, and experience 90 minutes of guided tractor operation.
We are offering this training as a retreat, led by Rock Steady Farm at the The Watershed Center. The retreat is designed to provide a comfortable, communal space for learning tractor operation and safety, while taking intentional time to rejuvenate ourselves in ways that feel good to each of us. Our goal is to provide instruction, guidance and support to enable participants to feel more confident in operating tractors safely.
Application Process: Check here for the application to open for our July retreat, applications are closed for the May retreat. Priority will be given to QT+BIPOC farmers and BIPOC farmers actively farming at tractor scale (see “commonly asked questions” below), but no tractor experience is required.
Dates: Friday 5/10/24 @ 9:30am- Sunday 5/12/24 @ 1:30pm AND Friday 7/5/24 @9:30am - Sunday 7/7/24 @ 1:30pm
Schedule
In addition to the below tractor instruction schedule, there will be opportunities for participants to relax, take in the beauty of The Watershed Center, and commune with other farmers (ex: bonfire, swimming, art share, reading, hiking).
Friday, 9:30am Arrival
Opening Circle
Understand an internal combustion engine and parts of the tractor
Safety
Maintenance of the tractor
Pre-operation checklist and time in the operators seat
Saturday
Attaching an implement
Individual, on-on-one tractor operation sessions with an instructor (1.5 hour sessions)
Closing Circle
Sunday, 1pm Departure
Sunday will be a relaxed morning. After breakfast, D Rooney will lead an optional round table discussion about how to buy a tractor, take a tour of implements at Rock Steady, and have an open Q & A. Participants are encouraged to relax and take in the time for rest, otherwise, participants are free to leave Sunday morning or after lunch, everyone must depart by 1pm.
Instructors: This event is led by D Rooney (General Manager/Co-Owner @ Rock Steady Farm) and SG Groat (Independent Farm Equipment Trainer and Mechanic).
Cost: Sliding Scale $50-$1000 (includes on-site housing, meals, instruction, workshop materials). Please note that acceptance into the workshop is not based on the amount that you can pay. The "sliding scale" model is a way for folks to pay according to what aligns with your income and access to resources. We ask that participants pay in full prior to or upon arriving to the retreat. The actual cost per person is $500, so folks who pay below that rate will be supplemented and folks who are able to pay above, will support those who are unable to pay in full.
COVID-19 Safety:
Participants to take a rapid test Friday morning before arrival to the retreat.
Beginning five days in advance of the retreat, Sunday, participants mask (preferably with an N95 mask) whenever they may be indoors or unable to keep 6 feet of distance from people in outdoor spaces.
If any participant is unable to fulfill those requirements, please notify the instructors as soon as possible (so we can notify waitlisted folks) and you will be fully refunded.
Postponement or Cancellation Policy due to COVID-19 or Inclement Weather: Should a participant: test positive prior to arriving; feel that you may have been exposed to someone who tested positive for Covid; is unable to mask indoors five days ahead of the retreat; or end up not feeling comfortable with the risk level, we ask that you notify the instructors as soon as possible (so we can notify waitlisted folks) and you will be fully refunded.
If there are weather conditions that are predicted for the weekend that may jeopardize the safety and wellness of the participants and instructors or inhibit the ability to learn well, we may cancel or postpone either a portion of the weekend or the whole weekend. In this case, the instructors may also reach out to the participants to navigate the best course of action collectively.
Housing: In the application process, you will be asked if you want to access the indoor accommodations at the Watershed Center (shared room with up to 3 other folks) or the option to camp outdoors (you must provide your own camping supplies).
Meals: All group meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) will be provided by the Watershed Center. In the application, you will be prompted to provide any food needs you may have.
Language: The workshop is currently only available in English, but our goal is to offer instruction in Spanish in the future.
Childcare and pets : We are unable to offer childcare support at this time. If you want to bring a support person to help you, there will be additional costs of housing and meals required for that person. We also ask that participants please leave all pets, especially dogs, at home.
Community Agreements: The Rock Steady Farm team has collectively created the “Community Agreements'' that we commit to uphold in our daily work experience. We extend that invitation of commitment to any visitors of Rock Steady and ask that all participants read them here and be willing to uphold the values we feel creates a healthy learning environment.
Location: Rock Steady Farm & The Watershed Center, 41 Kaye Road, Millerton NY, 12546
Commonly Asked Questions
Why are we doing this: In addition to being farmers, D Rooney and SG Groat are also passionate farm educators, and believe in the power of sharing as much information about farming as possible. Both being Queer people, SG being white and D being a mixed-light-skinned Person of Color, they collectively feel a deep desire to share what they know with QT+BIPOC communities, as many farming spaces aren't fully welcoming or safe for the people of these communities.
Why only 12-18 participants: SG and D feel that it is critical to tractor training to not only have an enriching “theory” day of learning but that the one-on-one instruction for operation feels generative too. With that, we are limited on the number of tractors for training and operators to assist with training; we also feel that the smaller class size creates a more intimate and spacious learning experience.
Why prioritize farmers actively farming at “tractor scale”: We know that some farmers may already be working on farms with tractors, so the intent for this workshop is to support those participants because this knowledge is best retained with immediate practice. With limited capacity of instructors and tractors, SG and D would like for at least this retreat to prioritize folks who have the most immediate proximity to a tractor this season. If the application process reveals that there are more folks not currently working at tractor scale than those currently working at tractor scale, we will do our best to include the different needs that may arise.
What type of tractors are we learning about and operating: The training will focus on 4 wheel tractors such as a Kubota 6060, 40HP Hydrostatic Kubota, International Harvester 140, and an International Harvester Cub.
Please email programs@rocksteadyfarm.com for additional information and questions.
