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Farm Beginnings® Programs in Southeast Nebraska

Assist Beginning Diversified Farmers

Gary Lesoing, University of Nebraska, Lincoln Extension

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Land Stewardship Project§§ Entering its 27th year keeping the land and people Entering its 27th year keeping the land and people

togethertogether§§ Working with farmers, policy makers, Working with farmers, policy makers, agag

professionals, consumers of local foodsprofessionals, consumers of local foods§§ Focusing on education, policies, research, Focusing on education, policies, research,

marketing fostering stewardship for farmlandmarketing fostering stewardship for farmland§§ Programming includesProgramming includes§§Local, State and Federal PoliciesLocal, State and Federal Policies§§Community Based Food Systems Community Based Food Systems §§Farm BeginningsFarm Beginnings®®

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§§ In a farming business to In a farming business to be sustainable you be sustainable you must find sustainability must find sustainability in your:in your:§§ Quality of LifeQuality of Life§§ Financial ViabilityFinancial Viability§§ Environmental Environmental

PracticesPractices§§GrazingGrazing§§Cover CropsCover Crops§§Crop RotationsCrop Rotations§§PermaculturePermaculture

What is meant by “Sustainable”?

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How Farm Beginnings® came to be in Southeast Nebraska§§ Land Stewardship Project SARE GrantLand Stewardship Project SARE Grant§§ Pilot Program in Nebraska in 2005Pilot Program in Nebraska in 2005--20062006§§ Formed a Steering Committee in Eastern NebraskaFormed a Steering Committee in Eastern Nebraska§§ Formed partnership with the University of Nebraska, Formed partnership with the University of Nebraska,

Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, Center for Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, Center for Rural Affairs and Nebraska Department of AgricultureRural Affairs and Nebraska Department of Agriculture§§ Selected facilitators, presenters and mentorsSelected facilitators, presenters and mentors§§ Financial partners provided assistance to the Financial partners provided assistance to the

program through scholarships. program through scholarships.

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Why Farm Beginnings® ??§§ Program trains graduates in innovative lowProgram trains graduates in innovative low--cost cost

sustainable agriculture.sustainable agriculture.

§§ Rural populations are declining, in many counties Rural populations are declining, in many counties over 5 percent.over 5 percent.

§§ Increasing demand for food grown locally, using Increasing demand for food grown locally, using sustainable practices.sustainable practices.

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Why Farm Beginnings® ??

§§ This program provided an opportunity for people to This program provided an opportunity for people to learn firsthand about lowlearn firsthand about low--cost, sustainable methods cost, sustainable methods of farming and see potential opportunities.of farming and see potential opportunities.

§§ The Farm BeginningsThe Farm Beginnings® program utilizes farmers in ® program utilizes farmers in teaching and as mentors, with Extension faculty teaching and as mentors, with Extension faculty also providing facilitation and expertise. also providing facilitation and expertise.

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Farm Beginnings®: It Works! §§ A handsA hands--on Education/ on Education/

Training ProgramTraining Program§§ 34 seminar hours34 seminar hours§§ Goal setting/ Whole Farm Goal setting/ Whole Farm

PlanningPlanning§§ Business Planning/ Business Planning/

CoachingCoaching

§§ OnOn-- farm educationfarm education§§ Farm ToursFarm Tours§§ Skills SessionsSkills Sessions§§ MentoringMentoring

§§ Farmer Presenters/ Farmer Presenters/ MentorsMentors§§ Shatters barriers Shatters barriers §§ Connecting to ResourcesConnecting to Resources

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Myth: You can’t start farming without having grown up on a farm. Reality:

Beginning Farmers are…

Women and MenTeachersEngineersPart-time FarmersSecretariesHigh School StudentsCollege studentsBankerCity PlannersArchitect Computer programmerStay at home mom

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Myths: No one cares about the future of farmers and the farming community

§§Reality:Reality:§§ “My idea of a mentor “My idea of a mentor

program isn’t to be an program isn’t to be an expert but to have an expert but to have an understanding and understanding and willingness to share willingness to share experiences about the experiences about the operation. We see operation. We see ourselves as part of the ourselves as part of the network.”network.”§§ Bev Bev StruxnessStruxness§§ Farm Beginnings MentorFarm Beginnings Mentor

Know how. Know now.Farm Beginnings® mentor “Paul Rohrbaugh” talks to students at his poultry processing facilities.

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Myth: You need to go into debt to start farming.§§ Reality: Reality: §§ Beginning farmers Beginning farmers

are finding ways to are finding ways to get started that are get started that are low input, land low input, land intensive and keep intensive and keep their exposure to their exposure to risk low.risk low.

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Vegetables growing in a High Tunnel

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Finishing hogs on dirt lots and direct marketing them.

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Myth:Get big or get out. OR

There is only one way to farm.

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Myth: Farming is a way of life.Myth: Farming is a business.§§ Reality: Reality: §§ Farming is a way of life Farming is a way of life

AND a business. AND a business. §§ The challenge is to The challenge is to

manage the business in manage the business in a way that helps you a way that helps you achieve the quality of life achieve the quality of life you desire.you desire.

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2005-6 Farm Beginnings §§ Program was initiated in Nebraska with a Program was initiated in Nebraska with a

SARE grant and cooperation with the LSP. SARE grant and cooperation with the LSP. §§ Jim Peterson and Martin Jim Peterson and Martin KleinschmitKleinschmit

provided initial leadership for this project.provided initial leadership for this project.§§ Steering committee was formed of farmers Steering committee was formed of farmers

and other agricultural stakeholders.and other agricultural stakeholders.§§ Initial class began in November 2005 in Initial class began in November 2005 in

Syracuse, NE.Syracuse, NE.§§ Paul Paul RohrbaughRohrbaugh and Gary Lesoing serviced and Gary Lesoing serviced

as coas co--facilitators of this class.facilitators of this class.

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2005-6 Farm Beginnings Class§§ The class met for 10 sessions on Saturdays from The class met for 10 sessions on Saturdays from

November November –– March.March.

§§ In the spring and summer the class toured several In the spring and summer the class toured several sustainable farms in SE Nebraska.sustainable farms in SE Nebraska.

§§ There were 12 families (farmers) that completed the There were 12 families (farmers) that completed the class.class.

§§ Class participants came from Nemaha, Johnson, Class participants came from Nemaha, Johnson, Pawnee, Saline, Lancaster, Holt, Sarpy and Boyd Pawnee, Saline, Lancaster, Holt, Sarpy and Boyd Counties in Nebraska.Counties in Nebraska.

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Who Participated?§§ The came from all walks of life.The came from all walks of life.§§ Young single men wanting to learn about the Young single men wanting to learn about the

business side of farming.business side of farming.§§ College students researching and evaluating College students researching and evaluating

potential farming opportunities.potential farming opportunities.§§ Young couples and families currently supplementing Young couples and families currently supplementing

their income with parttheir income with part--time farming enterprises.time farming enterprises.§§ Older families investigating alternative enterprises.Older families investigating alternative enterprises.§§ Recently or soon to be retired individuals looking to Recently or soon to be retired individuals looking to

start a second career.start a second career.

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Farm Beginnings Course§§ Holistic Management and Goal SettingHolistic Management and Goal Setting§§ Whole Farm PlanningWhole Farm Planning§§ Building Your Business PlanBuilding Your Business Plan§§ Financial PlanningFinancial Planning§§ MarketingMarketing§§ NetworkingNetworking§§ Connecting with ResourcesConnecting with Resources

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Farm Beginnings Presenters & Mentors§§ Terry Terry GompertGompert and Paul Swanson and Paul Swanson -- Holistic Holistic

managementmanagement§§ Jim Bender Jim Bender –– Farm TourFarm Tour§§ GlennisGlennis McClureMcClure§§ Dave Dave WelschWelsch§§ Paul Paul RohrbaughRohrbaugh§§ Tom LarsonTom Larson§§ Martin Martin KleinschmitKleinschmit§§ Dave Dave GoellerGoeller

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Farm Beginnings Graduates§§ 10 out of the 12 businesses have been involved in 10 out of the 12 businesses have been involved in

production agriculture at some level.production agriculture at some level.§§ Selling and managing area Farmers Markets.Selling and managing area Farmers Markets.§§ Selling meat, eggs and produce through the Selling meat, eggs and produce through the

Nebraska Food Coop.Nebraska Food Coop.§§ Selling eggs at local grocery store.Selling eggs at local grocery store.§§ Direct marketing Direct marketing agag products. products.

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Soap is being made from Goat Milk and sold at their store and through the Food Coop.

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Marketing GrassfedBeef

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Soybean Aphid: Studies

Date (2005)

7-15 7-26 8-3 8-12 8-18 8-24

Mea

n A

ph

ids

/ Pla

nt

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0No PredatorsOpen PlotsSurrounding Field

7000 Aphids/Plant

100 Aphids/Plant

10

100

1,000

10,000

Mean

Ap

hid

s/P

lan

tMarketing Vegetables

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What did participants say ?§§ Holistic management portion of class is very useful.Holistic management portion of class is very useful.§§ The network of people and contacts they made The network of people and contacts they made

through the class was very valuable.through the class was very valuable.§§ Like the Like the MastercardMastercard Commercial “Priceless”.Commercial “Priceless”.§§ Become better stewards of the land and provide food Become better stewards of the land and provide food

to our community and family in a healthy way.to our community and family in a healthy way.§§ Resources we learned and used from the class.Resources we learned and used from the class.§§ Participants are contributing from $1000 to $25,000 Participants are contributing from $1000 to $25,000

to the economy of their communities.to the economy of their communities.

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How did they rate the class?

§§On a scale of 1On a scale of 1--7 with 1 being poor and 7 with 1 being poor and 7 being excellent, the average rating for 7 being excellent, the average rating for the evaluation of the program was 6.16. the evaluation of the program was 6.16.

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Farm Beginnings Class 2008-9§§ Class began in November of 2008Class began in November of 2008

§§ Meets on Saturdays in Syracuse, NEMeets on Saturdays in Syracuse, NE§§ 7 Farms participating7 Farms participating

§§ Participants from Lancaster, Johnson, Gage, Participants from Lancaster, Johnson, Gage, Douglas, and Nemaha Counties in Nebraska and Douglas, and Nemaha Counties in Nebraska and Atchison County in Missouri.Atchison County in Missouri.

§§ Interests in dairy, livestock, produce, fruits, trees, Interests in dairy, livestock, produce, fruits, trees, grains and grains and agritourismagritourism..

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What about recent graduates?§§ Some starting new enterprises on a small scale.Some starting new enterprises on a small scale.§§ Others have purchased land to begin new Others have purchased land to begin new

enterprises.enterprises.§§ Some are diversifying into several livestock Some are diversifying into several livestock

enterprises, i.e. cattle, sheep and chickens.enterprises, i.e. cattle, sheep and chickens.§§ Others are raising vegetables and started raising Others are raising vegetables and started raising

bees for honey.bees for honey.§§ Still others are deciding what the best path is for Still others are deciding what the best path is for

them to follow.them to follow.

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Organic Alfalfa Production

Know how. Know now.Converting CRP to Organic Production

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Longhorn Beef Production

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Pastureland on New Property