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BF 101: Starting at Square One

Farm Start-up Considerations for New and Aspiring Farmers

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Creating a Farm to Match Your Values, Goals, Skills, and Resources

So you're thinking about starting a farm, but feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions? Have your online searches turned up piles of information, but you still feel a bit lost? This course can help. It was designed to assist new and aspiring farmers in taking the first steps in thinking through farm start-up (whether you already have land access or not). As Ben Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Thoughtfully defining your goals and strategy will prepare you for this endeavor and can prevent disasters down the road.

Target Audience

Aspiring/Beginner – This course is for those who want to make some or all of their livelihood from farming, and those who are actively planning the start-up of a farm in the next few years. Each participate will be assessing their own resources and will begin developing a farm start-up plan. You do not need to have land or know what you will grow – just that you want to explore the possibilities and learn about the steps you need to take to begin farming.

NOTE: This course covers some of the same material as BF 202: Writing a Business Plan, but at a much more introductory level. We recommend taking BF 101 first to prepare for the more advanced material in BF 202. We also recommend following this course with BF 102: Markets and Profits in order to complete your start-up plan.

Webinars

The bulk of the course happens on your own time, with discussions, readings, and assignments here in Teachable, our virtual classroom. To add to the experience, live webinars will be woven into the online interface for 6 weeks each Fall to allow you to meet on a weekly basis to learn from presenters and ask questions in real time. If you miss one, they are always recorded and posted for later viewing.

Webinar Schedule

Tues Sept 22, 2020 at 6:30-8pm Eastern time, and each Tues after that until the final webinar on Oct. 27. All webinars will be recorded and shared for later viewing.


Your Instructor


Erica Frenay
Erica Frenay

Erica owns and operates Shelterbelt Farm, a diversified operation with lambs, cattle, an orchard, high tunnels, an apiary, and overnight accommodations in Brooktondale, NY. She also manages online courses for the Cornell Small Farms Program.


Course Curriculum


  General Course Resources
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Week One: Resource Inventory and Skills Assessment
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Week Two: Values, Mission, Goals
Available in days
days after you enroll

Courses Included with Purchase



Plan Your Farm Hub
free tutorials to get started planning a small farm business
Erica Frenay
FREE

Original Price: $0


Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course officially starts on the date given above, when the instructor gets involved and begins hosting live weekly webinars. If you are registering after the webinars have concluded for the year, you will have immediate access to all the course materials, and will be able to participate in the next year's webinars if you choose to.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 7 days and we will give you a full refund.

Learn from successful farmers and start turning your farm dreams into reality today!

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