Source: ORGANIC GROWERS SCHOOL, INC. submitted to NRP
BEGINNING FARMER SUCCESS: FARM PATHWAYS TO LONG-TERM LAND TENURE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1027382
Grant No.
2021-70033-35717
Cumulative Award Amt.
$600,000.00
Proposal No.
2021-10728
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2021
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2024
Grant Year
2021
Program Code
[BFRDA]- Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, Standard
Recipient Organization
ORGANIC GROWERS SCHOOL, INC.
38 HAWK HILL RD
ASHEVILLE,NC 288060093
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This project builds on our successful partnership, established in 2015, to offer a comprehensive program of training, support, and land access for beginning WNC farmers and ranchers, through whole-farm production and business education, farmland linking, and land trust services. The Farm Pathways team includes the Organic Growers School (OGS), Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC), and NC FarmLink (NCFL, a program of NCSU Extension). The partners received a BFRDP Development Grant in 2015, and a Standard Grant in 2016 to launch and lay the foundation for this innovative collaboration.Collectively we will provide these additional services for beginning farmers to expand our audience and partnership: 1) Build resilient farm businesses with targeted training, technical assistance, and mentoring for beginning farmers. 2) Prioritize land access and farm transition, and support strategies for successful beginning farmer land tenure. 3) Expand, enhance, update, and deliver Farm Pathways Beginning Farmer Programs to a wider audience; including more rural farmers, veterans, limited resource and socially disadvantaged farmers. 4) Facilitate Farm Pathways program replication to other areas of the country by designing, streamlining, administering, and distributing collective evaluations and measurable reports.While the impact of COVID-19 has been devastating for our communities in uncountable ways, it has not revealed anything new about the problems beginning farmers face. Rather, it has served to exacerbate and amplify these pre-existing problems and shined a light on the cracks in our food system that make it increasingly difficult for new and beginning farmers to succeed, in particular veterans, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers.?Many of the beginning farmers in the WNC region need support getting started, increasing adaptability, and staying viable. Over the past 5 years, with support from the BFRDP, the Farm Pathways Team has provided training and support to over 2000 beginning farmers of which 45% are women, 30% are Limited Resource, 4% are disadvantaged populations, and 2% are veterans. We also know that the majority of beginning farmers in our region are underfunded, come from non-farming backgrounds, and struggle to find long term land tenure. In 2019, OGS conducted a comprehensive survey of local farmers to better understand the barriers to successful farming in NC. The top five concerns for farmers regarding their farm viability that emerged from this project included profitability, climate change, labor, changing regulations, and access to markets.Although we've been successful in our efforts to date, we know from programmatic feedback and statistical data that we can amplify that success by paying closer attention to beginning farmers in years 3-10 of their farming careers, specifically helping to overcome the struggles new farmers face securing long term, affordable land access and profitability. We also know we need to increase access to beginning farmer training and support for more rural and disadvantaged communities in our region, and populations such as women, veterans, limited resource farmers, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Farmers.This ongoing strategic partnership provides much needed, high value resources for beginning farmers to create, run, and maintain successful, resilient farm enterprises throughout WNC. We will offer the following programs to provide a trajectory of support: 1) OGS offers Farm Beginnings® Farmer Training, a year-long comprehensive program (the only one of its kind in the Southeast) to promote holistic, practical, whole-farm business, financial, and marketing education; Mentoring and Technical Assistance to provide long-term, targeted, and famer-specific support; a new Journeyperson: Advanced-Beginner Farmer Education Program for farmers in years 3-10 designed to serve the beginning farmer from start-up to establishment. 2) SAHC provides their Farmer Incubator Program which offers land, infrastructure, and equipment along with support, training, and coaching for beginning farmers; The Farm Production Workshops Series; and Agricultural Conservation Easements and Farmland Acquisition services which assure long-term availability of affordable farmland for beginning farmers. 3) NCFL contributes Land Matching Services, which link beginning farmers with farmland owners; One-on-one consultations for both landowners and farm seekers, including succession planning support.We will springboard from our existing partnership to acieheve these goals by adding additional strategic collaborators, building upon our extensive farmer training expertise, widening our farmer network, and increasing access to training and support for more beginning farmers in our region in order to establish a clear path to resilience, viability, and land access for our regional farming community. With a goal of serving more than 600 beginning farmers in the Southern Appalachians.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
11162103020100%
Knowledge Area
111 - Conservation and Efficient Use of Water;

Subject Of Investigation
6210 - Farmer cooperatives;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;
Goals / Objectives
Objective 1: Build resilient farm businesses with ongoing targeted training, technical assistance, and mentoring for beginning farmers by delivering the following programs and activities (A, C, E, F, G, H, I, J):OGS Farmer Mentor Services:Recruit mentee farmers and experienced mentors for one-on-one mentoring.Match mentee farmers with appropriate experienced farmer mentors for 15-30 hrs of mentorship.OGS - Farm Beginnings® Farmer Training ProgramRecruit beginning farmers, provide 200+ hrs of holistic goal setting, whole farm production, business, financial, and marketing training.Match students with an experienced farmer for 15 hrs of one-on-one mentoring.Integrate students into a farmer network and farm labor support through the CRAFT Farmer Network.OGS - Journeyperson ProgramDesign and implement advanced training modules for production, legal, marketing, human, and financial Risk Management mitigation, e.g. labor support & training through Apprentice Link; improving farm communications; holistic financial planning for farmers in years 3-10; etc.Recruit and enroll applicants through outreach in regional networks.Integrate students into a farmer network through CRAFT and provide farm labor support with Apprentice Link.Match farmers with appropriate experienced mentors, technical advisors, and/or professional development opportunities.SAHC - Workshop SeriesSchedule and lead workshops that provide farmers with actionable information that will lead to increased farm efficiency, output and profitability, e.g. pasture walks, women and tractors, small engine repair, cool storage construction, value-added processing, GAPs training, etc.Recruit and enroll participants through outreach in regional networks.SAHC - Community and Incubator FarmEnhance and expand training on affordable land access and technical assistance offered to beginning farmers.Expand Incubator Program by providing more experienced incubator farmers with access to a larger land base for longer periods of time.Build and create a process for use of the USDA Value-Added Kitchen for affordable access to value-added production space for regional farmers.?Objective 2: Prioritize land access & farm transition training and support strategies for successful beginning farmer land tenure by delivering the following programs & activities (B, D, E, F, H, J)NCFL - Farm Seeker & Farmland Owner Matching ServicesRecruit and match beginning farmers with available land to lease or buy.Provide personal assistance to beginning farmers and landowners with land assessment and lease/agreement development.Increase the capacity of NCFL hiring a NC FarmLink to hire an Extension Assistant.Assist beginning farmers with technical assistance so they are prepared to enter into a farm transition/succession plan with a retiring farmer or landowner.Develop and facilitate "Next Generation" farm succession planning training events and create written materials for landowners and retiring farmers interested in transitioning their land or farm business to a beginning farmer.SAHC - Conservation Easements/Buy-Protect-FarmPlace land under agricultural conservation easements preventing them from being developed for perpetuity.Reduce the costs of conserved land to increase affordability for beginning farmers.SAHC - Farmer Incubator ProgramProvide subsidized access to farmland and infrastructure to beginning farmersExpand Incubator Program by developing additional program tiers that provide farmers with 3-10 yrs of experience access to larger parcels of agricultural land for longer durations.Partner with NC Choices and Carolina Environmental Farming Systems BFRDP project to integrate beginning farmer grazing program into SAHC Incubator Farm Program.Objective 3: Expand, enhance, update, and deliver Farm Pathways Beginning Farmer Programs to a wider audience including more rural farmers in WNC, Veterans, Limited Resource and Socially Disadvantaged farmers by delivering the following programs & activities (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J):NCFL - Outreach ExpansionAn assistant is recruited to increase program capacity which will include expanding capacity to reach veterans, limited resource and socially disadvantaged farmers to provide support to farm seekers and landowners in NC FarmLink's western service area.NCSU Extension agents are recruited & trained as NCFL Regional Navigators to provide support to farm seekers and landowners, expand impact and geographic reach.OGS, SAHC & NCFL - All PartnersOutreach through networks & collaborators to promote Farm Pathways programs and replication.Increase access and affordability to Farm Pathways programs through more online options and by providing scholarships for beginning farmers, prioritizing Veterans, Limited Resource, and Socially Disadvantaged farmersSupport program delivery in-person & online in WNC to expand geographic reach to more rural areas.Investigate and implement online accessibility support services such as translation, interpretation, and software/technology as necessary.Objective 4: Facilitate Farm Pathways program replication by designing, streamlining, administering, and disseminating collective evaluations and measurable reports:Design thorough outcomes based measurement tools with consistency, simplicity, and accountability across all programs.Administer qualitative and quantitative program evaluations for all Farm Pathways beginning farmer participation.Conduct annual program evaluation survey of current and past participants, and program analysis to track medium to long-term program impact.Share best practices and lessons learned with all stakeholders via written reports, partner sharing, regional and national conferences, and on FarmAnswers.org.
Project Methods
Objective 1: Build resilient farm businesses with ongoing targeted training, technical assistance, and mentoring for beginning farmers.OGS Annual Activities:Facilitate, plan and manage the Farmer Mentor Services, which is a program for beginning farmers who have progressed past the startup phase (1-3 yrs experience) and need specific support for their farm operation. Beginning farmers are matched with an experienced local farmer for 15-30 hrs of one-on-one mentorship, technical assistance, systems development, land management, site-planning, infrastructure development, and business planning.Facilitate, plan, and manage Farm Beginnings® Farmer Training Course, a year-long, 200+ hr comprehensive, whole farm production & business planning program. The course may be offered in-person and/or online. When in-person, the location rotates each year to enable beginning farmers in underserved regions of WNC (and surrounding states) to participate in the training. Participants will also engage in the CRAFT farmer network to develop informal farmer-to-farmer relationships for ongoing support.Design, plan, implement and facilitate a new JourneyPerson Program, to better serve beginning farmers in years 3-10. Participants.SAHC Annual Activities:Plan, facilitate, and manage a workshop series that consists of 8 regionally specific hands-on farm production workshops annually in collaboration with Farm Pathways team and other partners.Beginning farmers will have affordable access to the value-added kitchen on the SAHC Community Farm. The Community Kitchen Program will provide clear guidance and resources to support product diversification, market expansion, and season extension.Objective 2: Prioritize land access & farm transition training and support strategies for successful beginning farmer land tenure.NCFL Annual Activities:Match beginning farmers with landowners who are interested in leasing, selling or creating partnerships on their farmland through an online portal as well as through offline local networks.Offer personalized 1:1 technical assistance for landowners and farm seekers, including land assessment, lease development, technical assistance for retiring farmers to pass the torch on to the next generation, and resource connections to steer them toward long term land tenure.Offer technical support to beginning farmers to help prepare them to enter into a farm transition/succession plan with a retiring farmer or landowner.Develop & facilitate "Next Generation" events for retiring farmers, landowners and beginning farmers to network and initiate farm transition/succession strategies.Offer technical support to beginning farmers to help prepare them to enter into a farm transition/succession plan with a retiring farmer or landowner.SAHC Annual Activities:Administer, expand, and manage the Buy-Protect-Farm Initiative: BUY: Prevent productive farmland from being sold for real estate development through purchase; PROTECT: Place conservation easements on farms to protect them from development; FARM: Assist landowners in making their farmland available to beginning farmersProvide access to farmland and infrastructure for beginning farmers at a subsidized rate for up to 5 years through the Farmer Incubator Program. Support beginning farmers to build a strong foundation for their farm business while they look for more long term land tenure opportunities.Objective 3: Expand, enhance, update, and deliver Farm Pathways Beginning Farmer Programs to a wider audience including more WNC rural farmers, Veterans, Limited Resource and Socially Disadvantaged farmers.NCFL Annual Activities:Recruit 1 NC FarmLink assistant and 2 Regional Navigators to increase geographic reach, capacity, and impact of farm linking services for beginning farmers across the western district as well as the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.All Partner Annual Activities:To make Farm Pathways programs accessible to underserved communities in WNC. 12 workshops as well as mentoring, technical services, and resources will be offered online and/or held in underserved, more rural areas of WNC. Meeting the farmers where they are, and reducing travel, time, and cultural barriers to participation for many beginning farmers.Create partnerships with existing regional farm networks across the Southern Appalachians and the Southeast to support their efforts, learn and adapt methods and materials to meet local educational, cultural, inclusion, and equity needs, build trust, and improve engagement with new audiences.Reduce barriers to access via scholarships, language interpretation, and childcare to Farm Pathways programs for underserved WNC regions, Veterans, Limited Resource, and Socially Disadvantaged beginning farmers.Objective 4: Facilitate Farm Pathways program replication by designing, streamlining, and administering collective evaluations and measurable reports.OGS, SAHC & NCFL Activities:To improve our evaluation systems, the team will employ a third party evaluator (Hunter-Kemper Consulting) who will assist the team with administering the evaluation process and assessing short, medium and long term impacts of the project. Continued success of the Farm Pathways project depends on strong evaluations.Combined with farmer input, the results of the annual program evaluation will be used to shape, modify, and guide educational methods, materials, and assess impact in relation to project goals.The team will share the evaluation results and lessons learned with stakeholders, online, as a part of workshops and presentations at regional conferences, and on FarmAnswers.org

Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Audience Emphasis ? Limited resource producers ? Small farms ? Specialty crop producers ? Women Participants Served Record the total number of unique participants who participated in your program: 968 Enter the actual cumulative number of participants who as a result of your program: Target Actual Started Farming 45 61 Helped prepare to start farming 0 263 Improved farming success 600 968 Changes/Problems: Several unexpected outcomes emerged from the Farm Pathways project, highlighting both positive developments and areas for future growth. The shift to virtual programming--initially implemented due to COVID-19--greatly expanded access to training, resulting in seven times the expected number of workshops being accessible in rural counties. However, the virtual format also led to lower evaluation response rates, making it more difficult to track long-term knowledge retention and implementation of learned practices. While knowledge gains exceeded expectations, confidence gains were lower than projected. This indicated that building confidence in farm operations requires more time and continued hands-on experience beyond a single workshop or training session. Participants who did report increased confidence often attributed it to sustained engagement with partner organizations rather than individual workshops. The project also saw greater-than-expected success in farmland access, with more than twice the planned number of new farmers securing land. Additionally, farmland preservation efforts exceeded targets, with 11 new conservation easements protecting agricultural land for future generations. On the other hand, fewer farmers than anticipated utilized the value-added farm product support services, largely due to delays in securing necessary infrastructure. Similarly, participation among limited-resource farmers and veterans was lower than expected, suggesting a need for improved tracking methods and targeted outreach strategies. Despite these challenges, the overall impact of the project exceeded expectations, demonstrating the value of adaptive programming, collaborative partnerships, and responsive farmer support systems. If this project were to be repeated, several key improvements could enhance its impact and efficiency. First, incorporating a structured, real-time evaluation process--such as built-in time at the end of virtual workshops for participants to complete surveys--would improve response rates and provide more accurate data on long-term knowledge retention and implementation. To further strengthen participant confidence, expanding mentorship and coaching opportunities would be beneficial. Since many farmers reported that confidence developed over time through continued engagement, offering structured peer-to-peer mentorship or ongoing coaching sessions could bridge this gap and provide sustained support. Enhancing outreach and data tracking for veterans and limited-resource farmers would also be a priority. Future iterations could include more personalized engagement strategies and anonymous tracking methods to ensure all target demographics are equitably served and represented in project metrics. Finally, expanding collaborative planning time among partner organizations would allow for even stronger alignment of program objectives and resources. Increased time for team check-ins, data-sharing, and strategy refinement could enhance coordination and allow for more proactive adjustments throughout the project lifecycle. By implementing these improvements, future projects could not only replicate but further expand the success of Farm Pathways, ensuring lasting benefits for new and beginning farmers. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Delivery Total Meetings: 56 Total Meeting Participants: 810 Total Meeting Participant Hours: 2109.25 Total Webinars: 97 Total Webinar Participants: 1290 Total Webinar Participant Hours: 2688.25 Total Website Visits: 0 Total Online Course Participants: 0 Meetings Date City State # Attendees Meeting Length (hours) 3/19/2023 Leicester NC 11 4.00 4/16/2023 Leicester NC 13 4.00 9/17/2023 Marshall NC 11 4.00 1/19/2023 Murphy NC 4 2.00 1/19/2023 Robbinsville NC 3 2.00 2/13/2023 Sylva NC 15 1.00 8/3/2023 Boone NC 30 0.25 8/12/2023 Shelby NC 85 0.25 10/1/2023 Marshall NC 8 4.00 10/29/2023 Arden NC 8 7.00 11/5/2023 Arden NC 8 7.00 4/28/2024 Barnardsville NC 10 4.00 5/19/2024 Burnsville NC 8 4.00 6/6/2024 Asheville NC 3 4.00 7/18/2024 Hendersonville NC 4 4.00 7/28/2024 Brevard NC 12 4.00 11/12/2024 Durham NC 24 1.50 11/14/2023 Fletcher NC 35 0.50 2/24/2024 Asheville NC 10 1.50 2/12/2024 Sylva NC 20 1.00 2/21/2024 Columbus NC 50 0.50 6/1/2023 Alexander NC 12 2.00 6/24/2023 Alexander NC 18 4.00 7/27/2023 Alexander NC 10 4.00 8/31/2023 Alexander NC 12 2.00 10/26/2023 Alexander NC 18 4.00 11/28/2023 Alexander NC 10 2.00 4/18/2024 Alexander NC 24 2.00 5/21/2024 Alexander NC 22 4.00 Webinars Date # Attendees Webinar Length (hours) 8/31/2023 6 3.00 9/5/2023 8 2.00 9/25/2023 15 2.50 9/27/2022 6 1.00 12/15/2022 15 1.00 1/15/2023 14 0.50 1/17/2023 44 1.50 1/25/2023 12 1.00 4/27/2023 15 1.00 5/18/2023 20 1.00 7/26/2023 17 0.75 10/3/2023 7 2.00 10/19/2023 14 2.00 10/26/2023 15 2.00 11/2/2023 16 2.00 11/16/2023 16 2.00 11/28/2023 4 1.50 11/30/2023 14 2.00 12/5/2023 8 1.50 12/8/2023 9 2.00 12/14/2023 10 2.00 1/4/2024 15 2.00 1/9/2024 6 1.50 1/11/2024 14 2.00 1/14/2024 6 8.00 1/18/2024 18 2.00 1/30/2024 14 1.50 2/1/2024 11 2.00 2/6/2024 4 1.50 2/11/2024 5 4.00 2/15/2024 14 2.00 2/29/2024 8 2.00 3/5/2024 6 1.50 3/14/2024 15 2.00 3/26/2024 29 1.50 4/16/2024 6 1.50 5/14/2024 6 1.50 6/18/2024 6 1.50 8/13/2024 7 1.50 10/24/2023 40 1.00 4/2/2024 15 1.00 7/23/2024 15 1.00 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Edible Asheville Journal Article Part 1 General Audience, awareness about Farm Pathways Last Uploaded: 2/13/2025 Edible Asheville Journal Article Part 2 General Audience, awareness about Farm Pathways Last Uploaded: 2/13/2025 SAHC Newsletter - Farm Stories Feature General Audience, awareness about Farm Pathways Last Uploaded: 2/13/2025 Farm Pathways Feature in Fairview Town Crier General Audience, awareness about Farm Pathways Last Uploaded: 2/13/2025 Farm Beginnings Info Session, Farmer Q&A Beginning Farmers JourneyPerson - Farmer Takeover - Black Trumpet Farm Beginning Farmers Farm Beginnings Graduate 2021-22 Feature Beginning Farmers JourneyPerson Early Bird Discount Beginning Farmers JourneyPerson - Farmer Takeover - Thatchmore Farm Beginning Farmers Farm Beginnings Info Session Promo Beginning Farmers Farm Beginnings info Session - Graduate Q&A Beginning Farmers OGS Mentor Services Website Beginning Farmers OGS Farm Beginnings Website Beginning Farmers OGS JourneyPerson Website Beginning Farmers What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 119. Participants will practice implementing non-violent communication strategies. Employee management and communication 6 120. Participants willsee real numbers from an established farmer's financial plan and learn about the realities of planning the financial part of the farm business. Financial records and analysis 13 125. Participants will learn about resources for leasing, buying, conservation, land design, management and use. Asset management, including leasing and renting 20 126. Participants will dissect the different components of management that occur on a successful farm business Financial records and analysis 9 127. In preparation for mentorship, participants will work on their Growing Season Learning Plan and goals for the upcoming year. Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships 12 134. Explore and utilize recordkeeping and decision-making processes. Financial records and analysis 8 135. Participants will learn about mental health management. Health, stress, and well being 15 136. Participants will learn about lambing season management systems. Livestock 11 137. Participants will learn about mechanical weed control methods, and about tractor implements for cultivation. Pest, weed, and disease management 13 140. Participants will understand ways of scaling a medicinal herb business Business and strategic planning 11 142. Participants will create a personalized plan for next steps toward building a successful farming venture in WNC Business and strategic planning 15 144. Participants will know how to prepare for a meeting with a potential farm buyer/farm owner. Access to land 64 145. Participants will learn retirement planning options Access to land 10 147. Participants will learn about the importance of Farm Transition Planning. Business and strategic planning 85 149. Participants will learn the design and uses of silvopasture projects, and practice planting bare-root trees. Trees-Ornamentals 18 150. Participants will learn what type of equipment to use for what purpose. Soil management 10 151. Participants will learn uses of the two-wheel walk behind tractor. Participants will use the equipment on-site under supervision. Soil management 12 152. Participants will learn how to assess a parcel of land, what tools, resources and equipment to use when looking at land. Business and strategic planning 18 154. Participants will learn how to process and prepare value added products to diversify farm income streams Value-added enterprises 10 155. Participants will learn how to grow and harvest tropical perennials as temperate annuals. Product and enterprise diversification 24 156. Participants will learn the background, design and uses of food forest design projects. Product and enterprise diversification 22 157. Participants will learn how to implement different Lean manufacturing tools and concepts into farm production and sales. Business and strategic planning 8 159. Participants will plan to write a 3-Part Holistic Goal Business and strategic planning 15 161. Participants will learn methods to contribute to effective on-farm communication. Employee management and communication 8 162. Participants will understand the guidelines used in holistic decision-making. Business and strategic planning 16 164. Participants will learn basic considerations for accessing farmland, have resources for land assessment decision-making and resources in the region. Access to land 16 166. Participants will be able to use short term and long term financial planning tools for achieving goals Acquiring and managing credit 14 167. Participants will understand the importance of developing values in farming and applying those values to a Holistic Management approach Business and strategic planning 8 171. Participants will be able to use short term and long term financial planning tools for achieving goals Financial records and analysis 10 173. Participants will investigate and plan for enterprise development Business and strategic planning 15 175. Participants will complete an enterprise decision guide in order to make choices on which enterprises are most suited to their land, resources, and skills. Business and strategic planning 14 176. Learn what Holistic Financial Planning is and create a combined "whole farm and family" annual financial plan utilizing the Holistic Financial Planning process. Cost of production and farm financial benchmarking 6 180. Participants will learn innovative business strategy and design Business and strategic planning 11 181. Participants will learn discuss questions surrounding financial planning, enterprise development, and recordkeeping. Financial records and analysis 4 183. Participants will be able to explain basic marketing concepts and planning processes, and connect with marketing resources in the region. Analysis of market fundamentals 14 185. Participants will work to understand their gaps and broaden their knowledge in financial planning and enterprise development Financial records and analysis 6 187. Participants will learn about methods and strategies for low-till and no-till production in a market garden Organic production 10 188. Participants will learn how to successfully navigate a value-added product-based farm business Value-added enterprises 8 189. Participants will learn about educational farm programs and agritourism enterprises. Product and enterprise diversification 3 191. Participants will explore growing and processing herbs on a large scale Product and enterprise diversification 12

Publications


    Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Audience Emphasis Limited resource producers Small farms Specialty crop producers Women Participants Served Record the total number of unique participants who participated in your program: Total Number of Participants: 591 Enter the actual cumulative number of participants who as a result of your program: Started Farming: Target - 45, Actual - 29 Helped prepare to start farming: Target - 0, Actual - 161 Improved farming success: Target - 600, Actual - 591 Changes/Problems:Objective 1: Build Resilient Farm Businesse Suggested Areas of Focus: Measuring participant confidence remains challenging. Consider new assessment strategies in Year 3. Response rates for program feedback remain low--explore alternative collection methods. Objective 3: Expand Farm Pathways for Underserved Farmers Suggested Areas of Focus: Improve tracking of Limited Resource and Veteran participants to ensure progress toward the goal of 75% reporting increased knowledge/confidence. Objective 4: Facilitate Farm Pathways Replication Suggested Areas of Focus: Implement annual surveys to track medium- and long-term participant outcomes. Expand dissemination of data and best practices through reports, outreach, and national platforms, while improving metrics tracking for these efforts. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Delivery Total Meetings: 35 Total Meeting Participants: 484 Total Webinars: 66 Total Webinar Participants: 917 Total Website Visits: 0 Total Online Course Participants: 0 Meetings 6/7/2022: Shelby, NC -- Number of Attendees 23 4/19/2021: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 5 7/14/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 8 8/20/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 15 10/24/2021: Asheville, NC -- Number of Attendees 13 12/16/2021: Asheville, NC -- Number of Attendees 9 2/26/2022: Asheville, NC -- Number of Attendees 20 4/10/2022: Marshall, NC -- Number of Attendees 11 5/15/2022: Bostic, NC -- Number of Attendees 14 6/26/2022: Leicester, NC -- Number of Attendees 20 7/10/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 14 7/24/2022: Brevard, NC -- Number of Attendees 12 9/11/2022: Leicester, NC -- Number of Attendees 10 9/25/2022: Barnardsville, NC -- Number of Attendees 6 9/17/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 12 10/25/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 10 3/1/2023: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 17 3/2/2023: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 12 3/11/2023: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 18 5/6/2023: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 10 6/24/2023: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 8 7/27/2023: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 9 8/31/2023: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 6 9/11/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 8 9/26/2022: Barnardsville, NC -- Number of Attendees 6 11/6/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 8 11/20/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 8 3/19/2023: Leicester, NC -- Number of Attendees 11 4/16/2023: Leicester, NC -- Number of Attendees 13 9/17/2023: Marshall, NC -- Number of Attendees 11 1/19/2023: Murphy, NC -- Number of Attendees 4 1/19/2023: Robbinsville, NC -- Number of Attendees 3 2/13/2023: Sylva, NC -- Number of Attendees 15 8/3/2023: Boone, NC -- Number of Attendees 30 8/12/2023: Shelby, NC -- Number of Attendees 85 Webinars 7/27/2022: Number of Attendees 56 3/2/2022: Number of Attendees 33 9/15/2021: Number of Attendees 19 10/28/2021: Number of Attendees 19 11/4/2021: Number of Attendees 21 11/11/2021: Number of Attendees 17 11/18/2021: Number of Attendees 18 11/16/2021: Number of Attendees 6 12/2/2021: Number of Attendees 19 12/9/2021: Number of Attendees 19 12/15/2021: Number of Attendees 8 1/4/2022: Number of Attendees 5 1/6/2022: Number of Attendees 5 1/9/2022: Number of Attendees 5 1/10/2022: Number of Attendees 5 1/13/2022: Number of Attendees 17 1/20/2022: Number of Attendees 36 1/27/2022: Number of Attendees 19 2/2/2022: Number of Attendees 12 2/6/2022: Number of Attendees 6 2/8/2022: Number of Attendees 5 2/10/2022: Number of Attendees 20 2/24/2022: Number of Attendees 20 3/10/2022: Number of Attendees 20 8/25/2022: Number of Attendees 8 9/15/2022: Number of Attendees 15 12/1/2022: Number of Attendees 15 9/16/2022: Number of Attendees 15 10/20/2022: Number of Attendees 10 10/27/2022: Number of Attendees 13 11/3/2022: Number of Attendees 13 11/10/2022: Number of Attendees 11 11/17/2022: Number of Attendees 13 11/15/2022: Number of Attendees 5 12/1/2022: Number of Attendees 13 12/8/2022: Number of Attendees 9 12/13/2022: Number of Attendees 7 12/17/2022: Number of Attendees 11 1/5/2023: Number of Attendees 9 1/19/2023: Number of Attendees 35 1/10/2023: Number of Attendees 8 1/15/2023: Number of Attendees 8 1/16/2023: Number of Attendees 8 1/31/2023: Number of Attendees 5 2/3/2023: Number of Attendees 8 2/6/2023: Number of Attendees 15 2/16/2023: Number of Attendees 12 2/7/2023: Number of Attendees 8 2/15/2023: Number of Attendees 7 2/13/2023: Number of Attendees 15 3/14/2023: Number of Attendees 7 4/4/2023: Number of Attendees 8 5/2/2023: Number of Attendees 8 6/6/2023: Number of Attendees 8 7/11/2023: Number of Attendees 8 8/31/2023: Number of Attendees 6 9/5/2023: Number of Attendees 8 9/25/2023: Number of Attendees 15 9/27/2022: Number of Attendees 6 12/15/2022: Number of Attendees 15 1/15/2023: Number of Attendees 14 1/17/2023: Number of Attendees 44 1/25/2023: Number of Attendees 12 4/27/2023: Number of Attendees 15 5/18/2023: Number of Attendees 20 7/26/2023: Number of Attendees 17 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Promotional Materials Farm Beginnings 2021-2022 Info Session Webinar Recording Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Student Testimonial Video Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Farmer Training Intro Video Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business JourneyPerson Promo - Instagram Post Prospective JourneyPerson Participants - Beginning farmers in year 3-10 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Promo Live Info Session Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business JourneyPerson Promo - Instagram Takeover with Program Graduate Prospective JourneyPerson Participants - Beginning farmers in year 3-10 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Promo Instagram Post Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business JourneyPerson Promo - Instagram Post Prospective JourneyPerson Participants - Beginning farmers in year 3-10 of their farm business WNC CRAFT Farm Tour Instagram Post Aspiring, Apprentice & Beginning Farm Beginnings Application Deadline Promo Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business JourneyPerson Promo - Instagram Post Prospective JourneyPerson Participants - Beginning farmers in year 3-10 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Promo Live Info Session Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Early Bird Discount Promo Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Info Session Promo 2022 Beginning Farmers Last Uploaded: 2/6/2025 Farm Beginnings Promo 2022 Beginning Farmers Last Uploaded: 2/6/2025 JourneyPerson Promo 2022 Beginning Farmers Last Uploaded: 2/6/2025 ? What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? 79. Participants will gain confidence around seeking landProducer action: , Topic: Access to landActual Number: 6 80. Participants will gain confidence in retirement planning.Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planning.Actual Number: 15 81. Participants will state that they understand how to start their retirement planning process.Producer action: , Topic: Interpersonal, family, and business relationships.Actual Number: 14 82. Participants will understand what incubator programs exist in the state.Producer action: , Topic: Access to landActual Number: 44 83. Participants will understand and implement their appropriate next steps for succession planning.Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planningActual Number: 4 84. Participants will understand and implement their appropriate next steps for succession planning.Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planningActual Number: 3 85. Participants will increase awareness of government programs and how to access them.Producer action: , Topic: Federal and state farm programsActual Number: 12 86. Participants will know how to access FSA program information and increase awareness of programs that are available to them.Producer action: , Topic: Acquiring and managing credit.Actual Number: 15 87. Participants will understand if the Farm Beginnings Program is right for them. Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planninActual Number: 17 88. Participants will gain awareness of NCFL and farm succession pieces.Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planningActual Number: 30 89. Participants will gain awareness of NCFL and farm succession pieces.Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planning.Actual Number: 85 90. Participants will learn how to select, propagate and how each herb grows including characteristics.Producer action: , Topic: Product and enterprise diversification.Actual Number: 15 91. Participants will learn how to harvest and process for use.Producer action: ,Topic: Product and enterprise diversification.Actual Number: 15 92. Participants will learn how an internal combustion engine works and how to care, manage and maintain equipment. Producer action: , Topic: Pest, weed, and disease management.Actual Number: 10 93. Participants will actively engage with diagnostics and repair on-site.Producer action: , Topic: Farm safety.Actual Number: 10 94. Participants will learn how to assess a parcel of land, what tools, resources and equipment to use when looking at land.Producer action: , Topic: Asset management, including leasing and renting.Actual Number: 12 95. Participants will work with a property to design their own layout for production.Producer action: , Topic: Asset management, including leasing and renting.Actual Number: 12 96. Participants will learn what materials and products are need to keep food safe.Producer action: , Topic: Food safety liability.Actual Number: 17 97. Participants will learn how to design and wash and packing facility, and what resources are available to help them in designing their own wash/pack facility.Producer action: , Topic: Food safety liability.Actual Number: 17 98. Participants will observe the design and layout of a new washing and packing facility and see examples of the best materials to be used in the build of the facility.Producer action: , Topic: Food safety liability.Actual Number: 12 99. Participants will perform hands-on work of setting the correct PPM and solutions for sanitizing equipment.Producer action: , Topic: Personal and business liability.Actual Number: 12 100. Participants will learn the background, design and uses of silvopasture projects, what tools, resources and equipment to use when looking at land.Producer action: , Topic: Water management. Actual Number: 18 101. Participants will plant bare-root trees for nitrogen and production.Producer action: , Topic: Product and enterprise diversification.Actual Number: 18 102. Participants will learn how to arrange a floral display based on flowers that grow in our region.Producer action: , Topic: Product and enterprise diversification.Actual Number: 10 103. Participants will practice floral design and create a bouquet of their own.Producer action: , Topic: Product and enterprise diversification.Actual Number: 10 104. Participants will learn how to manage a planted agroforestry project, then brainstorm ways to meet the goals of the project.Producer action: , Topic: Product and enterprise diversification.Actual Number: 8 105. Participants will cover crop and terminate competing plants.Producer action: , Topic: Pest, weed, and disease management. Actual Number: 8 106. Participants will learn what type of equipment to use for what purpose and how to rent it, how to safely use two large pieces of equipment to manage pasture land.Producer action: , Topic: Soil management.Actual Number: 9 107. Participants will learn uses of the two-wheel walk behind tractor, how to manage and the best use the equipment for their operation Producer action: , Topic: Soil management.Actual Number: 6 108. Participants present their farm proposal in the context of their growing season experience, synthesizing the work done throughout the course. It is also a final end-of-program celebration to motivate students as they move forward on their own in pursuit of their farm dream. Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planning.Actual Number: 15 109. Participants will learn about local support for regional seed crops via the Utopian Seed Project and the People's Seed. Producer action: , Topic: Conservation.Actual Number: 8 110. Participants will learn about creating and maintaining closed loop systems to increase soil fertility and decrease off-farm inputs with a special focus on mulch, compost, and fermented weed tea.Producer action: , Topic: Soil management. Actual Number: 6 111. Introduction to Holistic Goal, a core component of whole Farm Planning and a proven tool for sustainable farm management. Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planning.Actual Number: 13 112. Participants will work with their holistic goal and how our land, as well as our community and behavior must be in order to sustain our vision for generations to come.Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planning.Actual Number: 13 113. "Participants will learn how to use the Holistic Goal in whole farm planning to develop an effective framework for decision-making that reflects your personal values, goals and life vision.Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planning.Actual Number: 13 114. Participants will understand how complexity of the US food and agriculture system through the lens of power, privilege, and racial equity and its influence on their farm business plan. Discuss the activism that comes with being a farmer, and how to harness your voice as an advocate for justice.Producer action: , Topic: Health, stress, and well being.Actual Number: 11 115. Participants will learn about how the US food and agriculture system through the lens of power, privilege, and racial equity impacts farm land access for farmers.Producer action: , Topic: Interpersonal, family, and business relationships.Actual Number: 11 116. Learn from a farmer's perspective how they accessed land and capital to start their business. Explore best practices when starting a business entity and learn how to find resources for your farm enterprise. Producer action: , Topic: Business and strategic planning.Actual Number: 13 117. Explore alternative funding opportunities to help your farm business thrive.Producer action: , Topic: Economics of input decisions.Actual Number: 13 118. Participants will learn the structures and process for using non-violent communication strategies.Producer action: , Topic: Employee management and communication. Actual Number: 6???

    Publications


      Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22

      Outputs
      Target Audience:Our target audience for this project is small beginning farmers, residing in the 24 counties that make up WNC, in the first ten years of their farming journey, often classified as aspiring or beginning farm business owners, with special emphasis on farmers in years 3-10. These farmers typically have diversified enterprises that include annual vegetables, pastured livestock, cut flowers, medicinal herbs, value-added, dairy, eggs, honey, mushrooms, and other forest products raised on small farms of less than 25 acres. These farmers use a variety of market access points including direct to consumer, wholesale, and restaurant sales. They are either currently using or are interested in using sustainable, climate resilient agricultural methods and techniques. All of our programs focus on the sustainability of whole-farm operations, and are inclusive and engaging of farmers of all ages, races, genders, experience levels, and production models. Although we've been successful in our efforts to date, we know from programmatic feedback and statistical data that we can amplify that success by paying closer attention to beginning farmers in years 3-10 of their farming careers, specifically helping to overcome the struggles new farmers face securing long term, affordable land access and profitability. We also know we need to increase access to beginning farmer training and support for more rural and disadvantaged communities in our region, and populations such as women, veterans, limited resource farmers, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Farmers. Audience Emphasis Limited resource producers Small farms Specialty crop producers Women Participants Served Record the total number of unique participants who participated in your program: Total Number of Participants: 157 Enter the actual cumulative number of participants who as a result of your program: Started Farming: Target - 45, Actual - 6 Helped prepare to start farming: Target - 0, Actual - 62 Improved farming success: Target - 600, Actual - 157 Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Delivery Total Meetings: 14 Total Meeting Participants: 180 Total Webinars: 26 Total Webinar Participants: 433 Total Website Visits: 0 Total Online Course Participants: 0 Meetings 6/7/2022: Shelby, NC -- Number of Attendees 23 4/19/2021: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 5 7/14/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 8 8/20/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 15 10/24/2021: Asheville, NC -- Number of Attendees 13 12/16/2021: Asheville, NC -- Number of Attendees 9 2/26/2022: Asheville, NC -- Number of Attendees 20 4/10/2022: Marshall, NC -- Number of Attendees 11 5/15/2022: Bostic, NC -- Number of Attendees 14 6/26/2022: Leicester, NC -- Number of Attendees 20 7/10/2022: Alexander, NC -- Number of Attendees 14 7/24/2022: Brevard, NC -- Number of Attendees 12 9/11/2022: Leicester, NC -- Number of Attendees 10 9/25/2022: Barnardsville, NC -- Number of Attendees 6 Webinars 7/27/2022: Number of Attendees 56 3/2/2022: Number of Attendees 33 9/15/2021: Number of Attendees 19 10/28/2021: Number of Attendees 19 11/4/2021: Number of Attendees 21 11/11/2021: Number of Attendees 17 11/18/2021: Number of Attendees 18 11/16/2021: Number of Attendees 6 12/2/2021: Number of Attendees 19 12/9/2021: Number of Attendees 19 12/15/2021: Number of Attendees 8 1/4/2022: Number of Attendees 5 1/6/2022: Number of Attendees 5 1/9/2022: Number of Attendees 5 1/10/2022: Number of Attendees 5 1/13/2022: Number of Attendees 17 1/20/2022: Number of Attendees 36 1/27/2022: Number of Attendees 19 2/2/2022: Number of Attendees 12 2/6/2022: Number of Attendees 6 2/8/2022: Number of Attendees 5 2/10/2022: Number of Attendees 20 2/24/2022: Number of Attendees 20 3/10/2022: Number of Attendees 20 8/25/2022: Number of Attendees 8 9/15/2022: Number of Attendees 15 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Promotional Materials Farm Beginnings 2021-2022 Info Session Webinar Recording Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Student Testimonial Video Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Farmer Training Intro Video Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business JourneyPerson Promo - Instagram Post Prospective JourneyPerson Participants - Beginning farmers in year 3-10 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Promo Live Info Session Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business JourneyPerson Promo - Instagram Takeover with Program Graduate Prospective JourneyPerson Participants - Beginning farmers in year 3-10 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Promo Instagram Post Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business JourneyPerson Promo - Instagram Post Prospective JourneyPerson Participants - Beginning farmers in year 3-10 of their farm business WNC CRAFT Farm Tour Instagram Post Aspiring, Apprentice & Beginning Farm Beginnings Application Deadline Promo Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business JourneyPerson Promo - Instagram Post Prospective JourneyPerson Participants - Beginning farmers in year 3-10 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Promo Live Info Session Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business Farm Beginnings Early Bird Discount Promo Prospective Farm Beginnings Participants - Beginning farmers in year 1-3 of their farm business What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Farm Pathways Annual Timeline (all activities repeat annually unless otherwise stated) Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Organic Growers School Program Activities Farm Beginnings(R) Farmer Training Application, Interviews, and acceptance. Farm Beginnings Course Classroom Sessions, & Mentor Selection Farm Beginnings Students participate in WNC CRAFT, partner production workshops, complete Growing Season Learning Plan and Mentorship. Graduation in September. Farm Beginnings Course Classroom Sessions WNC CRAFT Farmer Round Tables WNC CRAFT Farmer Network On-farm Tours JourneyPerson Application, Interviews, acceptance, and mentor selection. JourneyPerson Program Activities Mentoring Services Application, Interviews, acceptance, and mentor selection on a rolling basis. Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Program Activities Accept participants into the Incubator Farmer Program & prepare existing incubator farmers to graduate if at the end of their term. Providing technical assistance and coaching to incubator farmers. Buy-Protect-Farm: Acquire farmland, facilitate conservation easements, and make available to beginning farmers. Workshops Series Conducted Beginning farmers accessing Value-added Kitchen NC FarmLink Program Activities Farm Seekers & Landowners create profiles and match with one another via the online database and local network. Ongoing 1:1 technical assistance provided to farm seekers and landowners to support successful land tenure arrangements Plan and facilitate "Next Generation" training events. Farm Pathways Team & Regional Collaborator Activities Monthly Farm Pathways Team Planning Meetings Outreach through networks & liaisons to promote Farm Pathways trainings Relationship building & outreach with regional partners working with Veterans, Limited Resource, and Socially Disadvantaged beginning farmers to improve accessibility to Farm Pathways programs Evaluation, Program Improvement, and Replication *details on evaluation timeline included in "Plan for Outcome Based Reporting"

      Impacts
      What was accomplished under these goals? Participants will learn why it's important to start legacy planning early and good starting points to do so. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Transferring the farmActual Number: 23 Participants will increase their knowledge of government assistance programs for farmersProducer action: Understand, Topic: Federal and state farm programs,Actual Number: 56 Participants will learn common pollinator species, the roles they play in the ecosystem, and techniques for management, habitat, food needs, etc,how to support their populations and attract them to your farm.Producer action: Understand, Topic: LivestockActual Number: 33 Understand how to perform all tasks related to layer feeding, watering and care,basic building and set up for chicken tractor design and maintenance, as well as pros and cons of different designs Producer action: Understand, Topic: LivestockActual Number: 5 Learn how to select & grow common culinary and medicinal herb varietiesgrowing on your farm, and common processing and drying techniques for herb harvest and storage.Producer action: Understand, Topic: Product and enterprise diversificationActual Number: 8 Understand some common processing techniques for herb harvest, storage, herbal tinctures and vinegars, as well as health safety protocols to prepare for value added products.Producer action: Understand, Topic: Value-added enterprisesActual Number: 15 Participants present their farm proposal in the context of their growing season experience, synthesizing the work done throughout the course.Producer action: Decide, Topic: Business and strategic planningActual Number: 19 Participants are introducedto Holistic Goal, write & work with their holistic goal and how our land, as well as our community and behavior must be in order to sustain our vision for generations to come. Producer action: Develop, Topic: Business and strategic planningActual Number: 21 Participants will understand how complexity of the US food and agriculture system through the lens of power, privilege, and racial equity and its influence on their farm business plan.Producer action: Decide, Topic: Business and strategic planningActual Number: 17 Learn from a farmer's perspective how they accessed land and capital to start their business, explore best practices whenstarting a business entity and learn how to find resources for your farm enterprise.Producer action: Understand, Topic: Asset management, including leasing and rentingActual Number: 18 Participants will connect with each other and plan for topics for 2022 cohort. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Health, stress, and well being, Actual Number: 6 Participants willsee real numbers from an established farmer's financial plan and learn about the realities of planning the financial part of the farm business. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Financial records and analysis, Actual Number: 19 Current resourcesregarding legal considerations, state/federal programsleasing, buying, conservation, land design, management and use. Producer action: Decide, Topic: Asset management, including leasing and renting, Actual Number: 19 This JourneyPerson session focuses on wholesale and retail pricing related to enterprise budgets, participants will work on enterprise budgets, and have the opportunity to network and connect in cohort setting. Producer action: Decide, Topic: Cost of production and farm financial benchmarking, Actual Number: 9 Participants discuss labor challenges and questions for financial planning, and dissect the different components of management that occur on a successful farm business. Producer action: Develop, Topic: Labor supply, recruitment, and retention, Actual Number: 5 The farmer presenter will illustrate the value of budgeting annual income and expenses as a tool to help make decisions and plan for profit, including cash flow templates.Participants will review cash flow examples/templates. Producer action: Develop, Topic: Business and strategic planning, Actual Number: 5 Clarify values and commitments, understand how a Holistic Goal should drive personal, farm and family financial decisions and aid in balancing healthy profits with healthy land and a healthy farm, family and personal life.Producer action: Understand, Topic: Business and strategic planning, Actual Number: 5 Learn what Holistic Financial Planning is and create a combined "whole farm and family" 2018 financial plan utilizing the Holistic Financial Planning process, Classify expenses into categories that help prioritize their importance relative to your goals, prioritize wealth generation and planning for profit.Producer action: Develop, Topic: Financial records and analysis, Actual Number: 5 In preparation for mentorship, participants will work on their Growing Season Learning Plan,goals for the upcoming year, and identify their priorities for their mentorships. Producer action: Decide, Topic: Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships, Actual Number: 17 Participants review resources and tools for innovative business strategy and design. Producer action: Develop, Topic: Product and enterprise diversification, Actual Number: 19 Learn from farmers about how they pay their farm help. Explore systems for managing workloads &how to make farm work environments healthy and satisfying to both farm employer and farm employee Producer action: Understand, Topic: Labor regulations, Actual Number: 12 Understand what your financial numbers and production records mean for your business and enterprise development, and then how to make decisions to move your business forward; utilize Strategic business planning, record-keeping & decision-making tools & techniques. Producer action: Develop, Topic: Product and enterprise diversification, Actual Number: 6 Participants will explore what is involved in sound business planning, decision-making, and developing the skills to successfully start & operate a farm business. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Marketing plans and strategies, Actual Number: 20 Participants share on their business planning progress. Producer action: Decide, Topic: Marketing plans and strategies, Actual Number: 20 Participants will learn about plant propagation for greenhouses, and methods and tools for successful plant germination, maintenance, and distribution. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Organic production, Actual Number: 11 Participants learn about cover crops in a no-till system vegetable production system, tractor implements to manage a no-till orchard. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Vegetables, Actual Number: 14 Participants will see and learn about pasture raised poultry, including quail, ducks, and chickens, the diversity of products offerings from pasture raised poultry, including meat, eggs, pelts, and feathers. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Livestock, Actual Number: 20 Participants will learn about diversifying farm enterprises with medicinal and culinary herb offerings. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Product and enterprise diversification, Actual Number: 14 Participants will see and learn about organic wholesale vegetable production, as well as equipment & infarstructure needs. Producer action: Understand, Topic: Vegetables, Actual Number: 12 Farm Beginnings Participants present their Final Farm Plan, reflections on learning and goals for upcoming years. Producer action: Decide, Topic: Business and strategic planning, Actual Number: 15 Participants will see and learn about managing a farm for seed production, including seed contracts as business enterprise.Producer action: Understand, Topic: Organic production, Actual Number: 10 Participants will see and learn about on-farm closed loop systems to increase soil fertility and reduce off-farm inputs, including compost, mulch, and fermented weed tea.Producer action: Understand, Topic: Soil management, Actual Number: 6

      Publications