Farm Beginnings Application - Land Stewardship Project

Apply to Participate in Farm Beginnings Today

Participants get the most out of Farm Beginnings when they come to the class equipped with some hands-on agricultural experience and a strong interest in starting a farming enterprise. We ask that you have some experience with the type of farming you’re planning to pursue whether that is volunteer experience, work experience, or hobby experience. Contact annelie@landstewardshipproject.org if you have questions.

The Farm Beginnings class fee is $1,000. This fee covers one “farm unit”— either one farmer or two farming partners who are on the same farm. A $50 deposit is requested with your application, and will be put towards the final fee. Payment plans are available, as well as a limited number of scholarships.

We are offering the 2021-2022 Farm Beginnings course online, beginning in December 2021. Sessions will be held weekly on Tuesday evenings mid December 2021 through early March 2022. Check our Farm Beginnings class description page for more information about the online format for this year’s class. Full class schedule can be found here.

2021-2022 Application – Apply Here

Thank you for your interest in Farm Beginnings.

Upcoming Events

March 2023

Tuesday March 21

9:00 am – 12:30 pm: Wholesale Readiness Training for Farmers
Tuesday March 21
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Wholesale Readiness Training for Farmers

MISA, UMN Extension, and Renewing the Countryside are offering training and one-to-one technical assistance for farmers who want to grow their operation into wholesale markets. Wholesale isn’t just for large-scale distributors. You can use this training and support team to prepare to sell to schools, restaurants, grocery stores, and hospitals in your community. Participating farmers will be eligible for $500 mini-grants to cover expenses related to launching a wholesale enterprise.

For details, click here.

Wednesday March 22

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Community Food Webs Learning Circle: Building Equity & Investing in Traditional, Indigenous Culture & Practices for Food Production, Health & Spirituality
Wednesday March 22
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Community Food Webs Learning Circle: Building Equity & Investing in Traditional, Indigenous Culture & Practices for Food Production, Health & Spirituality
Building strong community food networks where we live can move us powerfully toward our vision for functioning local and regional systems that support regenerative farming and provide all people with the nourishing foods they want and need. To explore how communities around the country are making this happen, in March LSP is hosting three learning circles focused on the book Building Community Food Webs, by Ken Meter.

Join us for just one session, or all three! Each session we’ll gather on Zoom for two hours — beginning at 7 p.m. — to discuss major themes from the book and generate ideas for our own communities.

Reserve your spot by signing up on our website:https://landstewardshipproject.org/learning-circles. Questions about getting signed up? Reach out to LSP’s Elizabeth Makarewicz at EMakarewicz@landstewardshipproject.org.

Thursday March 23

9:00 am – 4:00 pm: Ranching for Profit Workshop: 3 Secrets for Increasing Your Profit
Thursday March 23
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Ranching for Profit Workshop: 3 Secrets for Increasing Your Profit
Improving your farm business takes rolling up your sleeves and getting to work … not just IN your business, but ON it too. The Land Stewardship Project is hosting Ranch Management Consultant Dave Pratt, who will give workshop participants insights into threetools for improvingfarm profit. Dave won’t just be presenting information — you can expect plenty of small group interaction, case studies, videos, direct application to yourown situation and a healthy dose of humorto be used throughout the workshop.

You will learn:

● How to transform your farm into a successful business.
● The difference between economics vs. finance and why economics always comes first.
● The three things that youcan do to increase profit on your farm.
● How to identify theweak links and profit-drivers in your business.

Please register by March 17.

For more information and to register, click here.
10:30 am – 3:00 pm: LSP Upper Minnesota River Food Forum in Montevideo, MN
Thursday March 23
10:30 am – 3:00 pm
LSP Upper Minnesota River Food Forum in Montevideo, MN
Building strong community food networks where we live can move us powerfully toward our vision for functioning local and regional food systems that support regenerative farming and provide all people with the nourishing foods they want and need. To celebrate and explore how our local community is making this happen, the Land Stewardship Project will be hosting a Regional Food Forum to celebrate and grow our local foodshed. The Food Forum will be held at Table Two Twelve Chophouse, 4490 US-212, Montevideo, MN 56265.

Local food advocates, producers, and professionals will gather for panels, break-out sessions, and activities. Lunch will be served and an optional social hour will follow the event. There will be limited space available, so be sure to register here by March 17 and save the date for Thursday, March 23.
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Training
Thursday March 23
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Training
Join LSP to prepare for the 2023 Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Day on April 13! The training will be an opportunity to prepare how we will influence our elected officials to win real change on key LSP issues like soil health and climate solutions, healthcare reform, taking on corporate consolidation in agriculture, and more. This training will include: background on your legislators; templates for a legislative meeting; workshopping how to share our stories in a powerful, concise way; logistics; and more!

For more information and to register, click here.

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