Land Stewardship Project

Land Stewardship Project
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Long Range Plan
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact Us
    • Past LSP Projects
    • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
    • LSP Publications
    • Financial Statements
  • The Latest
    • Songs for the Soil
    • CSA Farm Directory
    • Upcoming Events
    • News
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • LSP in the News
    • Blog
    • Podcast
    • Land Stewardship Letter
    • LIVE-WIRE Sign-up
    • Myth Busters
    • Fact Sheets
    • Farm Crisis Resources
  • For Farmers & Landowners
    • New Farmers
      • Farm Beginnings Class
      • Journeyperson Course
      • Farm Dreams
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Accessing Farmland
      • Farmland Access Events: Sept. 2023
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Beginning Farmer Profiles
    • Retiring Farmers & Landowners
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Conservation Leases
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Land Transition Tools
      • Transition Stories
    • Soil Health
      • Cover Crops
      • Grazing
      • No-till
      • Microbiology
      • Soil Builders’ Network
      • Soil Builders’ E-Letters
    • Cropping Systems Calculator
    • Conservation Leases
    • Climate Resilience Trainings 2023-2024
  • Creating Change
    • Community-Based Food Systems
      • Community Food Webs Learning Circles
    • Policy Campaigns
      • Soil Health & Climate Change
      • Healthcare
      • Factory Farms
        • Anti-Competitiveness & Price Gouging
        • LSP Powerline Story Center
      • Federal Policy
        • A Farm Bill For Us
      • State Policy
        • MN Farm, Food & Climate Funding
      • Developing Leadership
      • Caucus for Land Stewardship
    • Justice & Stewardship
    • Organizational Stewardship
    • Building People Power
  • Get Involved
    • Take Action!
    • Upcoming Events
    • Land Stewardship Action Fund
    • Connect with LSP
      • Stay Connected
      • Join, Donate, or Renew Today!
      • Shop
      • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
      • Legacy Giving
    • Network with LSP Members
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Soil Health
  • Join, Donate, or Renew Today!
  • Stay Connected
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
Search
More...

Farm Beginnings Class

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • email

2023-2024 Farm Beginnings Class

Applications are now closed for LSP’s 2023-2024 Farm Beginnings Course. Beginning and prospective farmers are invited to apply to future Farm Beginnings classes. This is a year-long training program that focuses on the goal setting, marketing, and financial skills needed to establish a successful farm business. The Farm Beginnings Course creates a space for folks to name their vision, acquire the tools and skills needed to make it happen, and become part of a community of support to help them succeed.  

You can check out the tentative 2023-2024 class schedule here.

 Applications Are Closed for 2023-2024

If you are interested in the 2024-2025 class, contact LSP’s Annelie Livingston-Anderson at annelie@landstewardshipproject.org.

 

Fresh Voices Podcast Series

Interested in hearing directly from the next generation of innovative farmers? Check out the Land Stewardship Project’s Ear to the Ground “Fresh Voices” podcast series.

Meet Some of Our Grads

To read more about what Farm Beginnings grads are up to and how their class experience is helping them grapple with the challenges of farming, see our profile series.

Is Farm Beginnings a Good Fit for You?

Consolidated agribusiness and out-of-control corporate power in our economic and political system has made it difficult to get started in agriculture. Because of these imbalances of power, beginning farmers face a wide range of individual and societal barriers. Right now, beginning farmers do not have a fair chance to develop a vibrant, profitable business. The generational wealth gap, discrimination against BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) farmers, and a system that privileges producers raising a handful of commodity crops has kept too many farmers out of agriculture and off the land. 

Farming should be a viable option for anyone who wishes to make a living on the land. Family farms can thrive and contribute a critical service to our society by protecting natural resources, creating thriving communities, and producing healthy food. A just agricultural system includes reparations for past harm and land loss so that we can support a more diverse community of farmers. 

Farm Beginnings Course: A Community of Support

The Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings initiative creates thriving small and mid-sized farms by providing a place for people to name their vision and acquire the tools and instruction they need to make it happen. It also provides a community of support to help them succeed over the long term.  

The Farm Beginnings class is a 12-month training session that helps beginning farmers clarify their goals and strengths, establish a strong enterprise plan, and start building their operation. The course uses a mix of farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, and an extensive farmer network. Farm Beginnings focuses on the business management skills of farming. We do not go in depth on specific how-to’s of growing and raising crops or livestock. 

Farm Beginnings is designed for new and prospective farmers who want to plan a profitable farm business. Students do not need to currently own or lease land, but some farming or production experience is helpful to get the most out of the class. 

In this class, participants will: 

  • Establish quality of life goals and clarify their values.
  • Learn about whole farm planning, marketing and financing.
  • Write a farm business proposal.
  • Learn from some of the most innovative and skilled farmers operating in the Midwest.
  • Learn alongside a classroom of your peers.
  • Access an extensive network of farmers through the Farmer Network.
  • See sustainable farming practices in action on active farms.

Farm Beginnings Collaborative  

The Land Stewardship Project is a founding member of the Farm Beginnings Collaborative, a national alliance of 15 organizations that offer Farm Beginnings training programs. For our LSP Farm Beginnings class, applicants from Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northern Iowa will be given priority because LSP is best able to provide resources and connections in this area. If you are located elsewhere, check out the Farm Beginnings Collaborative website to see if there is an organization near you offering a Farm Beginnings course.   

Farm Beginnings Collaborative Guiding Principles 

• Farmer Led 

Farm Beginnings is a farmer-led training program for new and beginning farmers. It was started by experienced farmers, and farmers participate at all levels as steering committee members, classroom presenters, on-farm presenters, and on-farm mentors. We believe that the leadership of farmers of color is vital to the sustainable agriculture movement.  

• Community Based 

Farm Beginnings offers new and beginning farmers a means to establish strong relationships with local farmers, businesses, resources, and consumers within a community network that supports and strengthens the local food and farming system. This means that the Farm Beginnings Collaborative is looking for interested organizations that are committed to a specific region and building long- term relationships with farmers and other resource people in their region. 

• Racial Equity

We recognize the organizations that are part of the Farm Beginnings Collaborative are predominately white-led and are in different stages of centering racial equity in their work. We hold ourselves and each other accountable to collaboratively commit to this work. The Farm Beginnings Collaborative acknowledges the historical and ongoing racial inequities and oppression towards farmers and communities of color. We commit to furthering our own understanding and supporting the farmers we interact with to do the same. We commit to using the power and influence we have across our organizations to build more inclusive and equitable agricultural systems and implement changes that make it possible for more farmers of color to be successful.  

• Rooted in Sustainable Farming

Farm Beginnings programs support sustainable farming by promoting farming practices that are ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just, and achievable for new and beginning farmers.

Related Posts

  • Beginning Farmer Program for MN, WI & IA Accepting Applications for 2023-2024 Course

    July 17, 2023

    LEWISTON, Minn. — One of the most successful beginning farmer training programs in the country is now accepting applications for its 2023-2024 course session serving the Minnesota…

    News Releases
    beginning farmers, Farm Beginnings, young farmers
    Beginning Farmer Program for MN, WI & IA Accepting Applications for 2023-2024 Course

  • Thinking Like a Tree

    July 12, 2023

    There’s farm planning. And then there’s long-term farm planning. Figuring out what kind of rotation to use the following growing season is one thing; picturing…

    Farm Beginnings Profiles
    Abbie Baldwin, Farm Beginnings, fruit, Holistic Management, holistic planning, Mitch Hawes, orchards, permaculture
    Thinking Like a Tree

  • Talking Through Tough Choices

    July 12, 2023

    There’s a bit of a disagreement over how many enterprises were originally on a certain wish list when Hannah Frank and Justin Thomas were considering…

    Farm Beginnings Profiles
    Farm Beginnings, fruit, Hannah Frank, Holistic Management, holistic planning, Justin Thomas, mushrooms, orchard, Rue de Bungaloo Farm
    Talking Through Tough Choices

Contact:

• Annelie Livingston-Anderson, LSP Farm Beginnings facilitator, 612-400-6350, e-mail

• Pilar Ingram, LSP Farm Beginnings facilitator, 612-400-6349, e-mail

  • For Farmers & Landowners
    • New Farmers
      • Farm Beginnings Class
      • Journeyperson Course
      • Farm Dreams
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Accessing Farmland
      • Farmland Access Events: Sept. 2023
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Beginning Farmer Profiles
    • Retiring Farmers & Landowners
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Conservation Leases
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Land Transition Tools
      • Transition Stories
    • Soil Health
      • Cover Crops
      • Grazing
      • No-till
      • Microbiology
      • Soil Builders’ Network
      • Soil Builders’ E-Letters
    • Cropping Systems Calculator
    • Conservation Leases
    • Climate Resilience Trainings 2023-2024
  • Join, Donate, or Renew
  • Building People Power

Upcoming Events

×

December 2023

Tuesday December 12

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Online Farmer Forum: Exploring Water Management on Vegetable Farms
Tuesday December 12
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Online Farmer Forum: Exploring Water Management on Vegetable Farms

Join Jody and Mike Lenz of Threshing Table Farm and Dana Swanson from NRCS to explore creative ways to manage water in our changing climate. This forum will include a short presentation followed by questions, ideas and solutions from attendees.
Register here:https://secure.everyaction.com/8R2DmcpyQkOkPANzarGpAA2

Saturday December 16

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Iowa Farmers of Color Conference
Saturday December 16
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Iowa Farmers of Color Conference
2400 George Flagg Pkwy, Des Moines, IA 50321, USA

Calling all Midwestern Black farmers! Join us at the Iowa Farmers of Color Conference — an empowering gathering where connections flourish and knowledge blooms. Over the past two years, we’ve had the honor of building relationships with minority farmers from the South. Now, we’re extending a heartfelt invitation to YOU to be part of this transformative event. Connect with fellow farmers, engage with expert speakers spanning ag policy, research, and crop insurance, and get the answers you seek to thrive in your farming journey. Whether you’re seasoned or just starting out, this conference is a space designed to empower, educate, and uplift.

For details, check out this flier.

To register, click here.

January 2024

Saturday January 13

10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Fillmore County Well Screening Clinic
Saturday January 13
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Fillmore County Well Screening Clinic
Fillmore Central Elementary School K-6, 702 Chatfield Ave NW, Preston, MN 55965, USA

Free nitrate and chloride screenings will be offered onsite, with results available within 15 minutes. While you wait, you are invited to talk one-on-one with water experts about your results, questions, and options. This consultation is free and confidential. If further testing is advised, a voucher for a free certified test will be provided. Questions can be directed to Responsible Ag in Karst Country at responsibleaginkarstcountry@gmail.com.

Tuesday January 16

12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
In-Person Training: Introduction to Climate Resiliency for Farmers
Tuesday January 16
12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
In-Person Training: Introduction to Climate Resiliency for Farmers
St. Cloud, St Cloud, MN, USA

Join LSP and UMN Extension to build resiliency on your farm through examining local climate trends, identifying risk and planning adaptations for mitigation. Additionally, there will be several farmers presenting on the climate resiliency strategies they are implementing on their farms. Lunch is included and registration is required.

Register here: https://secure.everyaction.com/nyGLdKfUikG6EZmR8mcwbw2

February 2024

Thursday February 1

10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Whole Farm Planning For Climate Change Part 1
Thursday February 1
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Whole Farm Planning For Climate Change Part 1

Climate change is making our farms and our farm planning more unpredictable. It is becoming increasingly important to address climate change considerations in our land management planning and decision-making. This winter, join the Land Stewardship Project and UMN Extension for a three-part training series targeted to specialty crop growers.

Through this series, you will be guided through a process of Whole Farm Planning for Climate Resilience in order to:

  • Learn more about the potential impacts of increasing climate variability and change on your agricultural operation.

  • Evaluate climate risk management options that best support your farm and family goals by reducing risks and capturing new opportunities associated with changing climate conditions.

  • Make a plan to implement selected climate resilience strategies and evaluate their effectiveness over time.

Register here: https://secure.everyaction.com/5Jtgje1yk0Wwg9eLTzbpPQ2

View Full Calendar

Recent Posts

  • Take Action Today to Improve Accessibility to EQIP November 29, 2023
  • LSP Members Make Their Voices Heard on the Farm Bill November 29, 2023
  • LSP Applauds Court’s Support of Winona County Decision on Factory Farm November 21, 2023
  • Farmer Sign-On Letter: Diversified & Small Farms Deserve a Strong Safety Net October 26, 2023
  • Networking Event to Bring Together East African Farmers & Area Landowners Oct. 22 in Scandia October 12, 2023

Montevideo

117 South First Street
Montevideo, MN 56265
(320) 269-2105

Lewiston

180 E. Main Street
Lewiston, MN 55952
(507) 523-3366

Minneapolis

821 E. 35th Street #200
Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 722-6377

  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Land Stewardship Project. All rights reserved.

https://landstewardshipproject.org/farm-beginnings-class