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Course
Information
Classes
On-farm Education
Classes
2009-2010
We are pleased to announce the 2009-2010 class dates for the Land Stewardship Project's Farm Beginnings course. By participating in Farm Beginnings, you will have the opportunity to develop goals that reflect your values, while also connecting with and learning from some of the area's most innovative and successful farmers, local entrepreneurs, and other beginning farmers. The classes run from the end of October 2009 to March 2010, followed by the on-farm education component that includes farm tours and skills sessions. Classes are being held in two locations: River Falls, Wis., and Spicer, Minn. The deadline is Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009.
River Falls, WI
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Saturday, October 24, 2009 — 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday, November 7, 2009 — 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Thursday, November 19, 2009 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 3, 2009 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 17, 2009 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 7, 2010 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 21, 2010 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 4, 2010 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 20, 2010 — 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Thursday, March 7, 2010 (SNOW DATE)
Spicer, MN
Prairie Woods ELC
Saturday, November 7, 2009 — 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday, November 21, 2009 — 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 26, 2010 — 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 6, 2010 —10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 (SNOW DATE)
The course includes:
- 36 hours of seminar time, much of it with established farmers.
- 12 on-farm education events, including farm tours and skills sessions on working farms.
- Course books, binders and other materials.
- Connection to a network of established sustainable farmers interested in helping you succeed.
- A one-year Land Stewardship Project membership.
- Application for a livestock loan for those successfully completing Farm Beginnings.
To download a course application, click here.
For more information or to have application materials mailed to you, contact:
Karen Benson
Land Stewardship Project
P.O. Box 130
Lewiston, MN 55952
Phone: 507-523-3366
E-mail: lspse@landstewardshipproject.org
Download a sample class
outline to see what topics are covered in Farm Beginnings.
Course Fee
The cost for the 10 month course is $1,500. The $1,500 covers the farmer
presenter's time, the materials, on-farm education and a complimentary
year long membership in the Land Stewardship Project. There are a limited
amount of scholarship dollars available to help if there is financial
need. If you are considering a scholarship, you need to get your Farm Beginnings and scholarship applications in by Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009.
Download the scholarship application
and worksheet.
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On-farm
Education
Participants spend the spring and summer attending on-farm education
sessions. They have the opportunity to tour a wide variety of farms that
encompass many different systems of farming. View
a sample farm tour schedule.
Farm Tours
Tours are arranged to visit a variety of farms during the course…
April- August. The purpose is to see many different operations, look at
the systems each farm family has implemented, ask questions about production
methods, farming techniques and be exposed to creative problem solving.
The tours will consist of a tour of the farm, an overview from the farmers
and a time for discussion and questions.
Skills Sessions
The Skills Sessions were piloted in 2005-2006 and often accompanied a
farm tour with a focus on specific hands-on learning. Some examples from
the 2005-2006 year were preparing winter CSA shares, weeding techniques
on an organic vegetable farms, fence building, calf care, prepping for
and attending farmers markets.
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