Resources: Circle of Friends (or Friends of Farmers)

Agricultural Commission’s can leverage their resources by simply asking for help. 
AgComs can build a “Circle of Friends” by simply asking for assistance.  Friends are people in the community, or connected to the community, that have skills and abilities that the AgComs need to help them achieve their goals.  A Friend will be honored to assist the AgCom if they are asked to volunteer time on a task that is focused, short term and achievable.  In return, AgComs must highly value and respect the time volunteered by their Friends.

Asking for help works.  Just ask Barbara Hanley, Advisor to the Westport AgCom.  Westport was the second AgCom organized in southeastern Massachusetts and the first AgCom to build a Circle of Friends.   The Westport AgCom has reported great success from building partnerships and relationships with individuals and organizations.   Barbara provides key advice on how to effectively incorporate a Circle of Friends or Friends of Farmers into an AgCom’s efforts.

• Establish goals and priorities.
• Limit goals to three per year and focus on those goals.

Too many goals will seem overwhelming and may undermine an AgCom’s efforts. Limiting
goals to three provides direction, keeps the AgCom focused, and allows an AgCom to realize success, one goal at a time.

• Assess assistance needed to achieve goals.

Is a photographer needed for brochure pictures, a graphic artist to design a brochure, or a skilled database coordinator to assist with inventories, etc?

• Seek out members in your community or connected to your community who have shown an interest in the mission of the AgCom, protecting farmland, agricultural economic development, or are supportive of AgComs.
• Ask people to become Friends. 

Understand that people are flattered to be asked to get involved and to know that their skills
are needed and valued.

• Follow up with Friends by letting them know that their contributions are valuable.

An AgCom’s Circle of Friends can be just a few people or many, based on the need.  Westport has ten friends, each who have contributed greatly.  At a time when the AgCom was still new and unknown to many Westport residents, the AgCom utilized their Friends’ donated skills to design produce, and publish much needed AgCom informational brochures and develop relationships with local land trusts and conservation commission members.  When asked if Friends are assets to AgComs, Barbara replied, “Absolutely, Friends make the difference”.

If your AgCom has had successes using Circle of Friends or Friends of Farmers, we want to share your success story. Please send an email to info@massagcom.org with your name, contact information and success story.