ELGIN, Minn. — Beginning farmers looking for land are encouraged to attend a special Land Stewardship Project (LSP) workshop on Saturday, March 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Peace United Methodist Church (52497 275th Ave.), in Elgin. LSP’s “Beginning Farmer Land Access Workshop: Assessing Risks, Affordability and Land Access Options” is for aspiring and beginning farmers looking to rent, buy or otherwise access land to farm, or for those who are looking to work with another farmer to get started farming.

The cost for attending the workshop (including lunch) is $10 per person; $5 for additional family members. A light lunch will be served. To reserve a spot or for more information, contact Karen Stettler at 507-523-3366 or stettler@landstewardshipproject.org.

This workshop will provide activities and tools to help beginning farmers assess their vision, experience, finances and environmental considerations as they seek out land access options. Guest speaker Dean Harrington, a retired banker, will talk about his experiences working in a banking setting with beginning farmers and his thoughts on putting together a loan proposal. Harrington will also share his thoughts on the importance of building relationships with local banks. Beginning farmer Devon Ballinger will talk about her experiences while seeking land to farm.

Funding for this workshop was provided in part by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency.

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