What do Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition Board Members Do?
Our board members are doers. We:
Who's eligible?
- Meet bimonthly (via a one hour zoom call) to plan upcoming events for beginning farmers, talk through grants we might support, and help create programs that build a sense of community and connection among beginning farmers in Indiana.
- Meet once per year for our planning retreat (in person, full day in January). It's a ton of fun, we eat good food, and we get a bunch done.
- Help lead one of our major projects or committees and make things happen for beginning farmers: Outreach; Events; Grants
- Engage with NYFC's leadership, and chapter leaders from around the country
- Trade emails and texts as needed, especially when we're tackling big projects
- Are dues paying members of NYFC (Or join once elected. Membership is $35).
- Serve for two years.
- Are volunteers.
Who's eligible?
- Beginning farmers (that's anyone in their first ten years running their farm) of any scale, of any type (whether it's an urban veggie operation, a rural pasture-based livestock farm, a mushroom operation, etc).
- Folks who work on farms
- People who aren't farmers, but who care about beginning farmers (board must be majority farmers)
- We especially encourage underserved beginning farmers and farm workers to apply, including female farmers, BIPOC farmers, urban farmers, LGBTQ farmers, veteran farmers, and/or first-generation farmers.
Our 2022-2023 Board Members
Liz Brownlee - President (Rolling off in Feb 2023)
Liz and her husband, Nate, run Nightfall Farm in southeast Indiana. They’ve converted 50 acres of her family’s land (formerly corn/soybeans) into pasture, where they raise livestock. Liz has a passion bringing together farmers, and restoring community and the land together. She works part-time off-farm for Partners IN Food and Farming (PIFF). When she’s not farming, you can almost guarantee she’s nose-deep in a novel.
Liz and her husband, Nate, run Nightfall Farm in southeast Indiana. They’ve converted 50 acres of her family’s land (formerly corn/soybeans) into pasture, where they raise livestock. Liz has a passion bringing together farmers, and restoring community and the land together. She works part-time off-farm for Partners IN Food and Farming (PIFF). When she’s not farming, you can almost guarantee she’s nose-deep in a novel.
Genesis McKiernan-Allen - Vice President
Genesis and her husband, Eli Robb, run Full Hand Farm, a four-season vegetable farm in Noblesville. Together with a crew of dedicated employees, they grow organically on about five acres and sell year round at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market and to about 15 Indianapolis restaurants. Genesis is the official extrovert of the farm and loves connecting with other farmers and eaters.
Genesis and her husband, Eli Robb, run Full Hand Farm, a four-season vegetable farm in Noblesville. Together with a crew of dedicated employees, they grow organically on about five acres and sell year round at the Broad Ripple Farmers Market and to about 15 Indianapolis restaurants. Genesis is the official extrovert of the farm and loves connecting with other farmers and eaters.
Nate Brownlee - Secretary
Nate and his wife, Liz Brownlee, raise livestock on pasture in southeast Indiana. They rotationally graze sheep, pigs, turkeys, meat chickens, and laying hens, and sell via their meat and egg CSA, restaurants, farmer’s markets, and independent grocery stores. Nate’s favorite new thing is listening to audiobooks while moving animals to fresh pasture.
Nate and his wife, Liz Brownlee, raise livestock on pasture in southeast Indiana. They rotationally graze sheep, pigs, turkeys, meat chickens, and laying hens, and sell via their meat and egg CSA, restaurants, farmer’s markets, and independent grocery stores. Nate’s favorite new thing is listening to audiobooks while moving animals to fresh pasture.
Andrew Raridon - Treasurer
Andrew Raridon is a farmer advocate who fell in love with farming after a year apprenticing on a vegetable farm in Southern Illinois. He got his PhD in Sociology from Purdue University, and now studies inequality and activism in the food system, particularly among beginning farmers. He recently moved from Valparaiso to Virginia, where he teaches at Mary Baldwin University, and serves as HYFC’s Treasurer remotely. He loves craft beer, pizza, and gardening with his partner, Sarah, and their three kids.
Andrew Raridon is a farmer advocate who fell in love with farming after a year apprenticing on a vegetable farm in Southern Illinois. He got his PhD in Sociology from Purdue University, and now studies inequality and activism in the food system, particularly among beginning farmers. He recently moved from Valparaiso to Virginia, where he teaches at Mary Baldwin University, and serves as HYFC’s Treasurer remotely. He loves craft beer, pizza, and gardening with his partner, Sarah, and their three kids.
Danielle Guerin - Member at Large
Danielle is head farmer and Executive Director of Soul Food Project Indy, an urban farm, located in predominantly black communities. Danielle takes vacant lots and transforms them into farms. Since 2017, Danielle’s urban farm has been growing a wide diversity of veggies along with a small flock of hens on less than an acre, providing 35-50 CSA shares per year. Danielle is also a Land Advocacy Fellow with the National Young Farmers Coalition. She is an avid video gamer and just started bouldering and rock climbing.
Danielle is head farmer and Executive Director of Soul Food Project Indy, an urban farm, located in predominantly black communities. Danielle takes vacant lots and transforms them into farms. Since 2017, Danielle’s urban farm has been growing a wide diversity of veggies along with a small flock of hens on less than an acre, providing 35-50 CSA shares per year. Danielle is also a Land Advocacy Fellow with the National Young Farmers Coalition. She is an avid video gamer and just started bouldering and rock climbing.
Taylor Hartson - Member at Large
Taylor is a part-time farm worker and a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at Notre Dame. Their graduate work focuses on the intersections of gender & sexuality, race, sustainable agriculture, and identity. Taylor works on a diversified regenerative livestock farm in their spare time and is especially enamored with the herd of goats they help tend to. Outside of their graduate studies and farm work, Taylor is a fermentation enthusiast, an amateur cheesemaker, and a budding gardener.
Taylor is a part-time farm worker and a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at Notre Dame. Their graduate work focuses on the intersections of gender & sexuality, race, sustainable agriculture, and identity. Taylor works on a diversified regenerative livestock farm in their spare time and is especially enamored with the herd of goats they help tend to. Outside of their graduate studies and farm work, Taylor is a fermentation enthusiast, an amateur cheesemaker, and a budding gardener.
Marie O’Neill - Member at Large
Marie and her partner Nic run Outlier Farmstead in Bloomington, Indiana. Together, they grow specialty crops, mostly vegetables, on a little less than an acre. In 2023 Outlier is looking to expand more into fruit, primarily apples and grapes, and nuts. They grow in high tunnels as well as outside, and mostly provide food to the People's Market Cooperative in Bloomington, Indiana. Aside from farming, Marie really likes to birdwatch (novice status).
Marie and her partner Nic run Outlier Farmstead in Bloomington, Indiana. Together, they grow specialty crops, mostly vegetables, on a little less than an acre. In 2023 Outlier is looking to expand more into fruit, primarily apples and grapes, and nuts. They grow in high tunnels as well as outside, and mostly provide food to the People's Market Cooperative in Bloomington, Indiana. Aside from farming, Marie really likes to birdwatch (novice status).
Sierra Tusa Reed - Member at Large
Sierra is a farmworker who has a passion for helping lift up farm employees’ perspectives and paths into farming. She has worked on farms in other states, including Maine. As a farm laborer first and foremost, Sierra has a unique perspective and is eager to see what HYFC can do to bring farmers together.
Sierra is a farmworker who has a passion for helping lift up farm employees’ perspectives and paths into farming. She has worked on farms in other states, including Maine. As a farm laborer first and foremost, Sierra has a unique perspective and is eager to see what HYFC can do to bring farmers together.
Serving on the HYFC Board energizes me. I feel connected to other farmers, and I know I'm working for something bigger than myself. Plus, it's fun. I love this excuse to hang out with other farmers, learn from them, and just spend time together."
- Liz Brownlee, HYFC President