Have you ever considered making the leap from gardening to farming?
The Northeast Beginning Farmers Project at Cornell University has created a series of online courses for those thinking of becoming a farmer as well as for beginning farmers.
The interactive online courses run from five to seven weeks. Courses start in October, November, January and February. See the schedule here.
Courses address aspects of growing as well as the business end of farming.
Courses are $200 each.
The first course is called “Starting at Square One: Creating a Farm to Match Your Values, Goals, Skills, and Resources.” This is described as a very introductory-level course for people who have decided to make some or all of their livelihood from farming and those who are actively planning how to approach farm start-up.
Other courses are:
- Soil Health – Building the Farm from the Ground Up
- Poultry Production – Profiting from Layers, Broilers, Turkeys, and Ducks
- Farm-Scale Mushroom Production – For Fun and Profit
- QuickBooks for Farmers
- Berry Production – Getting Started with Growing and Marketing
- Markets and Profits – Exploring the Feasibility of Your Farming Ideas
- Veggie Farming – From Planning to Planting
- Small-scale Organic Grain Production – Is it Right for Your Farm?
- Effective Marketing for Busy Farmers – Sell Smarter, Not Harder
- Holistic Financial Planning – Building Profit into the Picture
- Veggie Farming – From Season-Long Care to Market
- Planning to Stay in Business – Writing Your Business Plan
- Taking Care of Business – Understanding the Business, Regulatory, and Tax Implications of Your Farm
Other resources are available to new farmers, including a free Guide to Urban Farming in NYS.
