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What is
Farm Beginnings?
Program Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
Download Fact Sheet (PDF)
Farm Beginnings in Other Regions
Contact Us to Learn More
Program
Overview
Farm Beginnings is a Land Stewardship Project initiative that provides opportunities for beginning and transitioning farmers to learn firsthand about values clarification and goal setting, whole farm planning, business plan development, and low-cost, sustainable farming methods.
Farm Beginnings provides 36 hours of training and hands-on learning opportunities
in the form of classroom sessions, farm tours and mentorships. It
is a year-long training and support effort. Farmers and other agricultural
professionals are the primary presenters, mentors and steering committee
members.
Farm Beginnings graduates come from a variety of backgrounds and are
engaged in a broad spectrum of farming enterprises: beef, dairy,
hogs, meat and dairy goats, sheep, poultry, wholesale vegetables, Community
Supported Agriculture, organic grains and specialty products such as cut-flowers,
hazelnuts, and cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the dates for this year's class?
Visit the Farm Beginnings
Course page for class dates.
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Who are the speakers and what are the topics?
View a sample class
outline.
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When is the application due? Wednesday, September 1, 2010
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Are scholarship available and how do I apply for them?
A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Submit a scholarship application at the same time as your Farm Beginnings application.
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How much is the deposit? You
must send a $100 non-refundable check with your application to hold
your place in the class.
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Do I have to pay all at once? No, we have several payment plans available.
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Do you have to be interested in organic agriculture to take
the class? No. The Farm Beginnings
class presents a process for making decisions about alternative farming
strategies, including but not limited to direct marketing, grass-based
and organic. We employ established, successful farmers as teachers
and they share from their experience what has worked for them.
We focus on helping participants make the right choice for their goals.
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Do you have to be a beginning farmer to take the class?
No. The decision-making process and planning
tools we share during the class are just as useful to established
farmers as they are to people wanting to get started farming.
As a matter of fact, many people who have gone through the class have
been farming on the side for a number of years and use the class
to help them make the step into full time farming or to transition
into other alternative farming strategies.
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What does the course consist of? Farm
Beginnings classes begin in the fall of each year and meet throughout
the winter. Class participants learn goal setting, financial planning,
business plan creation, alternative marketing and low-cost sustainable
farming techniques. Established farmers and other professionals such
as lenders and agricultural business instructors present at the seminars,
providing community resources, networks and contacts for those interested
in farming.
At the conclusion of classes, participants
take part in a series of on-farm field days during the spring and
summer. Participants tour a variety of farms in addition to having
a one-on-one experience with a specific farmer.
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What is the Livestock Loan and who is eligible?
The Livestock Loan Program is a zero-interest
revolving livestock loan available for qualified Farm Beginnings graduates.
It helps farmers build equity while supporting them with a continuing
education component that connects them with an adviser. Individuals
are able to apply for dairy heifers, beef heifers, hogs, goats, sheep,
and chickens.
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Download Fact Sheet
Download a Farm Beginnings Fact Sheet
(PDF)
If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the fact sheet, download a free copy.
Farm Beginnings in Other Regions
Besides Minnesota, Farm Beginnings is now in Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and the Hudson Valley of New York, as well as the Lake Superior region in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. If you live in one of these areas and are interested in the program, contact one of the following people:
Central Illinois Farm Beginnings
Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/University of Illinois Extension
Small Farm and Sustainable Agriculture Extension Specialist/ SARE Coordinator
P.O. Box 410
Greenview, IL 62642
Phone: 217-968-5512
Cell: 217-341-0398
E-mail: cvnghgrn@illinois.edu
Website: http://central.illinoisfarmbeginnings.org
Illinois: The Land Connection
Terra Brockman (through the end of Aug. 2009)/ Kathy McGroarty-Torres
1227 Dodge Ave., Suite 200
Evanston, IL 60202
Phone: 847-570-0701
Fax: 847-570-0711
E-mail: terra@thelandconnection.org
E-mail: kathy@thelandconnection.org
Website: www.thelandconnection.org
Illinois: Stateline Farm Beginnings
Tom Spaulding/Sheri Doyel/Tracey Hall
Angelic Organics Learning Center
1547 Rockton Rd
Caledonia IL, 61011
Phone: 815-389-8455
E-mail: tom@learngrowconnect.org
E-mail: sheri@learngrowconnect.org
E-mail: tracey@learngrowconnect.org
Website: www.learngrowconnect.org
Lake Superior-NW Wisconsin/NE Minnesota
Cree Bradley
Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association
2995 Hwy 3
Two Harbors, MN 55616
Phone: 218-834-0846
E-mail: cree@lakesuperiorfarming.org
Website: www.lakesuperiorfarming.org
Nebraska
Gary Lesoing
Nemaha County Extension
Nebraska SARE Coordinator
1842 N. Street-Courthouse
Auburn, NE 68305-2395
Phone: 402-274-4755
E-mail: glesoing2@unl.edu
William Powers
Executive Director
Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society
414 County Road 15
Ceresco, NE 68017
Phone: 402-525-7794
E-mail: farmbeginningsnebraska@gmail.com
Website: www.nebsusag.org/farmbeginningsnebraska.htm
New York
Rachel Schneider
Educational Programs Director
Hawthorne Valley Farm
327 Route 21C
Ghent, NY 12075
Phone: 518-672-7500, ext. 105
E-mail: rachel@hawthornevalleyfarm.org
Website: www.hawthornevalleyfarm.org
North Dakota
Britt Jacobson/Karri Stroh
FARRMS
301 5th Ave. SE
Medina, ND 58467
Phone: 701-486-3569
Fax: 701-486-3580
E-mail: info@farrms.org
Website: www.farrms.org
South Dakota
Frank James/ Heidi Kolbeck-Urlacher
Dakota Rural Action
Mailing Address:
PO Box 549
Brookings, SD 57006
Street Address: 910 4th St.
Old Sanctuary Building, Suite A
Brookings, SD 57006
Phone: 605-697-5204
Fax: 605-697-6230
E-mail: heidiku@dakotarural.org
E-mail: fejames@dakotarural.org
Website: www.dakotarural.org
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Contact Us to Learn More
Driftless Region
(SE MN, Western WI, NE Iowa)
Karen Stettler (general information), stettler@landstewardshipproject.org
Parker Forsell (general information), parker@landstewardshipproject.org
Karen Benson (class registration), lspse@landstewardshipproject.org
Phone: 507-523-3366
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 130
Lewiston, MN 55952
Prairie Region
(Western MN, SE S. Dak., NW Iowa)
Amy Bacigalupo (general information), amyb@landstewardshipproject.org
Nick Olson (class registration), nicko@landstewardshipproject.org
Phone: 320-269-2105
Mailing Address: 301 State Rd., Suite 2
Montevideo, MN 56265
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