Farm Beginnings Course to be Offered in Morris
The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is now accepting applications for its 2012-2013 Farm Beginnings course. Farm Beginnings class sessions will begin this fall and are being offered in the communities of Morris, Minn., and River Falls, Wis.
In 2012, LSP's Farm Beginnings program is marking its 15th year of providing firsthand training in low-cost, sustainable methods of farming. The course is tailor-made for people of all ages just getting started in farming, as well as established farmers looking to make changes in their operations. Farm Beginnings participants learn goal setting, financial planning, enterprise planning, marketing and innovative production techniques.
Classes are led by farmers and other agricultural professionals from the area. The classes, which meet approximately twice-a-month, run until March 2013, followed by an on-farm education component that includes farm tours and skills sessions. The fee is $1,500 per farming partnership (flexible payment plan and partial scholarships available), and early-bird registrants are eligible to attend on-farm education events this summer and fall.
The application deadline for the 2012-2013 Farm Beginnings course is Aug. 1. For application materials or for more information, see www.farmbeginnings.org or contact Karen Benson at 507-523-3366; lspse@landstewardshipproject.org.
Over the years, more than 500 people have graduated from the Minnesota-region Farm Beginnings program. Farm Beginnings graduates are involved in a wide range of agricultural enterprises, including grass-based livestock, organic vegetables, Community Supported Agriculture and specialty products.
