farm beginnings
DESCRIPTION
Farm Beginnings. A program of Land Stewardship Project. What Is Farm Beginnings?. Provides education, support and equity-building opportunities for beginning farmers Started in 1997 Western and Southeastern Minnesota - recently expanded to Illinois, Missouri and Nebraska. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Farm Beginnings
A program of Land Stewardship Project
What Is Farm Beginnings? Provides education,
support and equity-building opportunities for beginning farmers
Started in 1997
Western and Southeastern Minnesota - recently expanded to Illinois, Missouri and Nebraska
Who is Farm Beginnings?
Established farmers and community members
Land Stewardship Project staff and members
Organizational partners
What Sets Farm Beginnings Apart
Farmer-to-farmer networking
Coaching and planning for your whole farm
Opportunities for no-interest Livestock Loans
Presents opportunities for successful farming alternatives
Who Are Beginning Farmers?Women and Men
Teachers
Policemen
Part-time Farmers
Secretaries
High School Students
2nd Generation Farm Families
Accountants
Doctors
Crop Seed Specialists
Mechanics
University Students...
Farm Beginnings Provides…
Whole Farm Planning
Business Planning & Coaching
Connecting to Resources
On-Farm Education
One-on-One Mentoring
Farm Tours
Peer Groups
Where Have We Come?
Of the people who go through Farm Beginnings… 90% participate in mentoring 20% apply and receive low-interest livestock loans 60% successfully start farming
What Have We Learned? Farm Beginnings Structure
Class Participants
Larger Sustainable Ag Community
Impacts for General Public/Consumers
Lifestyle/Quality of Life Issues
Belief and Proof that it Can and Does Work!
Where Are We Going?
Robin MooreEasy BloomsFarm Beginnings 2000-01
Expand training and support network for increasingly diverse pool of farmers, farm practices and businesses.
Broaden collaboration, support and training within beginning farmer education network.
Develop training program to share Farm Beginnings with other audiences.
Where are we now?IllinoisDeborah Cavanaugh-GrantUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignDepartment of Natural Resources & Environmental SciencesAgroecology/Sustainable Agriculture ProgramP.O. Box 410Greenview, IL 62642217/[email protected]
MissouriDebi KellyFarm BeginningsUniversity of Missouri3 Whitten Hall, Columbia, MO 65211800-433-3704 (Missouri Only); 573-882-1905 (In Columbia) [email protected]
NebraskaJim PetersonUniversity of Nebraska402-274-4755