FARM is a volunteer organization. In addition to the Board of Directors, members serve FARM within committees. Please contact us if you are interested in helping on a current committee or creating a new committee. The more of us who put our energy and ideas into the organization, the more useful FARM will be to folk music and dance in the Midwest. Much of the organizational process of FARM is accomplished over the internet between the Annual FARM Gatherings.
Current committees

Annual Gathering Site Selection:
The site search committee is responsible for identifying and evaluating (with FARM Board input) potential sites for our annual FARM gatherings. The committee then makes recommendation to the Board for final approval. Any suggestions for potential locations (especially Missouri) but also other locations within the Wisconsin through Michigan corridor will be considered.

Annual Gathering Program Planning: n
In our workshop planning for the 2005 FARM gathering, we will solicit and implement workshop ideas from FARM members and other Midwestern performers, presenters, radio show hosts, etc. Those of us in folk music in this area of the country face challenges and situations — not to mention a general atmosphere of "cooperation versus competition" — which do not necessarily apply to the rest of the country. Therefore, we will select workshop participants from this region whose experience and perspective are, in the immortal words of Joel Mabus, "hopelessly Midwestern."

Annual Gathering Showcase Coordination:
The showcase coordinator facilitates an entertaining evening of music. He/she does this by scheduling performers, assigning them a time and a time limit (as specific as possible), collecting brief introductions and bio information about performers in order to better present them to the community at large, distributing the list of performers in a timely manner (via email), acting as the primary stage manager and MC, coordinating assistant stage managers and additional MCs for special introductions and liaison duties between performers, the sound crew and other programming needs as they arise, and maintaining good humor and maximum flexibility in the face of any perceived anxiety.

Website Design:
Webmaster:

Youth Outreach: Tricia Alexander, Chris Gaylord, Kate Moretti

Proposed Committees
Overall Planning of Annual Gathering
Festival Know-how
Folk in the Schools
Sound Advice
Development of FARM publicity materials

Other Volunteer Opportunities
Annual Gathering Sound Reinforcement (for showcases)
Annual Gathering Staff volunteer
Serve on FARM Board of Directors
Lead a workshop/mentoring session at annual FARM Gathering