Popular Education Tool-Kit #4 Outcomes: The workshop was successful because it brought people from different communities together to network and form new relationships. Landowners who had many years of experience in the Silvopasture enterprise were able to share their experiences with landowners that came to learn about the goat business. As a result of the workshop, forestland owners from Mississippi and different parts of Alabama who were raising cows were also considering establishing a multispecies enterprise by adding goats to their operation. Most importantly, landowners who previously did not know each other were able to connect, share ideas and learn from each other. Land ownership is a source of increased wealth and has been linked to greater participation in social, political and economic activities. Rural land ownership is a major stable economic resource that provides opportunities to create wealth and build sustainable communities. It is important to demonstrate to landowners how they can hold onto their land by utilizing it more effectively.
Facilitator’s Notes: Landowners from surrounding communities were able to meet and network. More landowners wanted to attend, however, due to other obligations around their communities, they could not do so. In order to reach more people, it is also important to take this information to people’s communities. In addition to hosting training workshops at our Rural Training and Research Center, we have found that it is also important to work with people in their own communities and on their own land. This brings about increased participation and involvement of the people we are trying to reach, because relationships and trust are built.