Knowledge Share Description
Join us for a storytelling knowledge share about farming in Palestine with Yara, co-founder of Om Sleiman Farm, located in Bil’in, Palestine. Since 2016, Om Sleiman Farm has been more than just a CSA farm; it's been a vital space for Palestinian connection to the land while reclaiming spaces of imagination through collective resistance and regeneration.
The work of Om Sleiman Farm serves as a vital link to Palestinians and the land, emphasizing the collective effort to (re)establish means of resistance. Through this, OSF reclaims spaces of imagination, aspiring to manifest a vision of a regenerative, just, and independent future in Palestine. Co-founder Yara will lead a discussion on the diverse phases Om Sleiman Farm has navigated over the past 8 years, sharing her personal journey as a team member who has grown alongside it. The farm has served as her personal hub for knowledge-sharing, encompassing topics such as land cultivation, seed preservation, sustainable agriculture practices, and team development.
When Yara first began working at the farm, she had no prior farming experience. To her, it was a place of hope amidst the uncertainties faced by Palestinians. Despite farming in areas constantly threatened with resource and land confiscation, she and her fellow farmers persevered. Eight years later, the farm has become an essential community and food access space, thanks to the support of its members who receive weekly baskets, as well as the landlord, volunteers, founders, and the six women currently tending the land. During the workshop, Yara will share her personal journey into farming, including her evolving relationship with the village where the farm is situated, starting as an outsider from the city and patiently growing and nurturing this bond over time.
The farm has strong partnerships with other cooperatives and farms, offering workshops and training programs for Palestinians who want to learn and join the team, even without prior farming experience. Yara will highlight the farm's unique marketing model, emphasizing its importance in directly supporting farmers through connections with consumers. In this knowledge share we will learn about farming in Palestine, the Agroecological movement, seed preservation, providing healthy food for the community, empowering Palestinian youth, especially women, and fostering a deep connection to the land.
We will explore:
Farming in Palestine
Plants growing on the farm
How to overcome temporality
Gain insight into the journey and evolution of Om Sleiman Farm as a symbol of resistance and autonomy in Palestine
Explore the principles of agroecology and their role in promoting sustainable farming practices and community empowerment
Understand the importance of seed sovereignty and its implications for preserving Palestinian agricultural heritage and autonomy
Learn about the unique marketing model employed by Om Sleiman Farm to support local farmers and foster direct connections between consumers and producers
Discover the significance of women's empowerment in Palestinian agriculture and community development
Reflect on the broader implications of Om Sleiman Farm's story for the Palestinian struggle for justice
Cost
$35 - low income
$50 - standard
$75 - pay-it-forward (if you have financial abundance, this is our pay-it-forward option to fund our full tuition scholarships)
For more information on sliding scale please check out this amazing work!
The zoom link will be sent upon registration. Recording will be available for 30 days.
Please apply here for a scholarship.
FREE for Palestinian community. You can either use the scholarship form or email us at connect@herbancura.com to receive code.
Accessibility Information
Virtual Gathering
*ASR (automated) captioning provided
The knowledge share zoom link will be sent out immediately upon purchase, along with any other necessary information.
Sunday, September 15, 2024
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Class will be recorded and available for 30 days. This means you can join from anywhere in the world.
Facilitator
Yara Dowani from Jerusalem, a farmer, and a natural builder. Yara’s interest in farming started in 2017 after joining a permaculture design course in Palestine. And later Joining a research group studying perennial plants and edible wild plants in Palestine. Since 2018 she has been part of Om Sleiman farm and part of many initiatives and movements working on agroecology and food sovereignty. Now Yara’s interest lies mostly in the educational part of farming and cooperatives forming.