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IndustryAgriculture15TuesdayFebruary122013ByRENEFRANCOEURTheseedshavebeensownandclassesaresettobloomthisspringatanewfarmingschoolinHayRivernowthattheNWTdepartmentofIn-dustryTourismandInvest-mentITIhasnalizeditsnancialcontributiontothepilotproject.NorthernersinterestedinlearningaboutgrowingtheirownfoodoranimalhusbandrycannowapplytobecometherststudentsatthenewNorth-ernFarmTrainingInstitute.Theschoolwillofferathemedthree-dayworkshoponceamonthfromApriltoOctober.Therewillbeclassroomlessonsaswellashands-oneldworkingreen-housescommunitygardensandfarms.Theinstituteisthebrain-childofJackieMilnepresi-dentofthenon-protTerri-torialFarmersAssociationTFA.FouryearsagoMilneanavidgardenerbeganhostingaseriesofvolunteerworkshopsbasedoncultivatinggardens.Thelevelofinterestwassub-stantialthenshesaidanditsonlycontinuedtogrow.TheresarealgenuineinterestinpurposefulfoodproductionoutthereintheNWTMilnesaid.Iseetheprojectbecomingadynamiccatalystthatwillrapidlydis-seminatetheinformationoutbecauselotsofpeopleIspeaktohaveanincredibledesiretoreestablishthemselveslo-callyandbecomemoreincontroloftheirfood.Thatawarenessiseverywhereitsinsocietynow.TheGNWTconrmeditscontributionof40000totheinstituteattheendoflastmonththestartupportionofthetotal350000Milneoriginallyrequested.NewfundingcomesApril1andthenweshouldgettheremainderasfarasIun-derstandMilnetoldTheJournal.Securingtherestofthe-nancesfromthegovernmentshouldntbeaproblemac-cordingtoMilne.ThenewGrowingFor-ward2fundajointfederalandterritorialprograman-nouncedanannualincreaseof500000tosupportsmall-scalefoodproduction.Start-ingthisspringthatmeanstheNWTagricultureindus-trywillreceiveatotalof1.2millionperyear.Milnefigurestheentirecostforthenewinstitutesrstpilotyearexcludingstu-dentstravelcostsisabout200000.ThankstotheGrowingForwardfundstudentswhoqualifyfortheworkshopswillnothavetopayforthecourse.Milnesaidsheisstilldis-cussingabudgetwiththeGNWTthatwouldcoverallcostsforstudentsinclud-ingtravel.Thereisroomfor15stu-dents.Milnenotedpreferencewillbegiventothoseiniso-latedcommunities.Ilookatitthiswayevery-onewhocomestothiscanineffectbecomeamentorbackintheircommunity.SoweretrainingtrainersMilnesaid.Studentscanchoosetosignupforthefullschoolseasonorjustattendoneworkshop.Milnewantstheworkshopstobeexibleandaccessiblewhichiswhyshesscheduledthemtohappenonweekends.ClassroomactivitieswilltakeplaceattheAuroraCol-legeCommunityLearningCentreinHayRiver.OutdooractivitieswillcyclethroughlocalgreenhousesfarmsberryorchardsandsoonMilnesaid.InstructorsincludelocalfarmersandgardenersaswellasMilneandAuroraCollegeinstructorSusieWegernoskiapermacultureenthusiastfromFortResolution.HayRiverhasallthecomponentsweneedforsuchtrainingestablishedcommunitygardensavarietyofgreenhousescattlefarmsgoatssheepspigsrabbits.GraduationkitsspecializedtoeachworkshopthemewillalsobehandedouttostudentsattheendMilnesaid.Thesewillincludethingslikeseedstartingkitscompletewithgrowlightsandweedingtools.TheTFAisalsocompilingresourcematerialtoaccom-panytheworkshops.PartnersfortheNorthernFarmTrainingInstituteincludeAuroraCollegeEcologyNorthandtheNWTLiteracyCouncil.Applicationsarenowbeingaccepted.Northernersinter-estedinapplyingareaskedtocalltheTFAat867-874-4706orbyemailatfarmnwtnorth-westel.net.NorthernFarmTrainingInstitutetakesrootGNWTcommitsstartupfundstonewHayRiverschoolPresidentoftheTerritorialFarmersAssocationJackieMilneshowsoffthekaleshegrowsinherowngreenhouse.SheplanstousehergreenhousesaslivingclassroomsforthenewNorthernFarmTrainingInstitute.PhotoKimRapatiSkiNorthsAnnualNWTSkiDaysCensusTakeadvantageoftheniceweather.GetoutskiingandpreparefortheupcomingThebachaLoppetwhichwilltakeplacealongthehistoricalportageroutefromFortFitzgeraldtoFortSmithSaturdayMarch22013.LikeacaribouherdcountSkiNorthsCensusmeasuresthehealthoftheNWTskiherd.SkierscanregisterwiththeirschoolorclubbetweenMondayFebruary11andSundayFebruary17.ContactSkiNorthCoordinatorKarenJohnsonatskinorth.nwtgmail.comor867-669-8379toreportyourskiernumbers.