Farm Beginnings
MOFGA Farm Beginnings is a farmer-led program to help guide those with a strong commitment to creating a sustainable farm business achieve their goals.
Designed for farmers with at least one year of production experience, this series of intensive workshops will help you to develop a whole farm plan through realistic goal setting, reflection, and assessment of your resources, skills, and markets – and gives you the business planning tools necessary to successfully implement your plan. The course was originally developed to support participants in the MOFGA Journeyperson Program but enrollment is open to any farm looking to apply whole farm planning and financial management tools to their operation.
Community based: Applicants from Maine will be given priority because MOFGA is best able to provide resources and connections in this state. If you are located elsewhere, check out the Farm Beginnings Collaborative website to see if there is an organization near you offering Farm Beginnings.
The Farm Beginnings course will be online for 2020-2021 and is 8 weeks long from January-February 2021. Each week consists of independent work through an online learning platform and a Zoom call with all farmer participants. The course is farmer-led and professionally facilitated with course material covered through a combination of classroom presentations, group discussions, guest speakers and panels, as well as guided readings and exercises.
MOFGA Farm Beginnings will help you to:
- Craft a detailed action plan for your farm; including your vision, personal goals, marketing plan, enterprises and financing goals.
- Learn critical farm management skills such as recordkeeping, tax preparation, marketing and enterprise development.
- Meet and learn from innovative, local farming practitioners. Develop relationships with other new and experienced farmers, plus a wide range of agricultural service providers that support farmers.
- Learn how to access resources and programs that can help bring your farm vision to fruition.
Application details:
- Course tuition is $750 per farm (all farm partners are strongly encouraged to attend)
- Numerous scholarships are available – please note interest on your application
- Current MOFGA Journeypeople receive a $600 stipend toward course tuition
- Application period ends December 1, 2020
For more information, please email [email protected]
MOFGA is a member of the Farm Beginnings Collaborative. The Farm Beginnings Collaborative is a national alliance of independent regional groups of farmers and farmer-training support organizations working together to support and promote Farm Beginnings, a farmer training model that is farmer led, community based and rooted in sustainable principles.
