Farm Beginnings Nebraska
Farm Beginnings is a farmer-led educational training and support program designed to help people who want to evaluate and plan their farm enterprise. Participants engage in a mentorship experience and network with a variety of successful, innovative farmers; attend practical, high quality seminars, field days and conferences; and receive resource materials. They also create links with experienced farmers through farm partnerships, land and equipment use and/or rental.
The Farm BeginningsĀ® Program consists of a series of 10 sessions from December to April that cover a variety of topics including: building networks, goal setting, whole farm planning, building your business plan, marketing, business and farm management and financial management. While the class participants will learn firsthand from the farmers, they will also work on developing their own business plan as they progress through the course. As part of the class tuition, participants will also have the opportunity to attend the Rural Advantage/Healthy Farms Conference at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City on February 10th and 11th. This is a conference that has been held annually for a number of years and has sessions that focus on
topics such as: vegetable production, grass-fed beef, cover crops, organic farming, bee keeping, farm transitioning and agri-tourism. We also have a farm tour in December and tour several farms in the summer to see how the farmers are operating. If interested, participants also have the opportunity to have a farmer mentor.
Tuition for the is $500, but you may qualify for a partial scholarship.
Your tuition includes;
Farm Beginnings notebooks and handouts
Joel Salatin's, Holy Cow and Hog Heaven book
Meals at each session,
An NSAS membership,
Registration to the annual Rural Advantage and Healthy Farms Conference For details and to sign-up email William at farmbeginningsnebraska@gmail.com
Farm Beginnings Nebraska Application
Farm Beginnings Nebraska Brochure and Schedule
Farm Beginnings Participants.
- Tap the knowledge of some of the most innovative and skilled farmers operating in the Midwest.
- Develop lifelong friendships and networks with other beginning farmers.
- Learn critical farm management skills such as creative financing and innovative marketing strategies.
- Mentor with a farmer engaged in a similar enterprise.
- See sustainable farming practices being used on real farms under a variety of conditions.
- Learn to view a farm as an interconnected system and learn how goals determine farming practices.
- Craft a tailor-made farming/business plan.
Nebraska Beginning Farmer Mentorship Program
We are seeking volunteers for a steering committee for a beginning farmer mentorship program . A major goal is to bring in new, young, and anyone interested in getting into or transitioning to a sustainable farming operation. We are seeking farmers in the sustainable agriculture arena to help bring in a new generation of farmers to help sustain agriculture! We need people to help serve on the planning committee, serve as potential mentors and we need anyone interested in being mentored. No amount of time is too small to participate! If you are interested please send an email William at
farmbeginningsnebraska@gmail.com
In the News
Group Aims To Raise Young Farmers:The Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society has created a new support group for young farmers to help each other get started. Click here to read the rest
Upcoming
Farmer Support Group
Hosted by the Farm Beginnings Nebraska program: The Farmer Support group will have their monthly coffee talk on March 12th at Darby Springs Farm near Ceresco, Nebraska. Hosted by William & Crystal, the group meets monthly to discuss farming in Nebraska with an emphasis on the sharing of ideas, practices and coffee!. This is event is open to anyone farming or interested in farming or concerned about farming and farmers. Coffee and rolls will be ready by 7:00am. For questions or directions email Crystal at darbysprings@gmail.com or call 402.525.6397.
farmbeginningsnebraska@gmail.com
Farm Beginnings Nebraska: a joint project of UNL Extension, NSAS, Center for Rural Affairs & Nebraska RC & D's. This exciting program is modeled after other projects in the Midwest, and combines class time and mentoring for beginning farmers (or not-yet-beginning farmers!) in a format that works towards the practical decisions of what, why, and whether or not in the decision to farm, what to farm and all that entails. Next class will begin Fall 2011. We will be holding two classes, one in Western Nebraska ( Ogallala/Sidney/Scottsbluff/etc) and the other in Eastern Nebraska (Omaha/Lincoln). Contact William at farmbeginningsnebraska@gmail.com
for information
View Farm Beginnings Nebraska Graduates in a larger map
How to Reach Us
William Powers
NSAS Executive Director
414 County Road 15
Ceresco, Nebraska. 68017
402.525.7794; farmbeginningsnebraska@gmail.com