Cultivating Success™: Whole Farm Planning will walk you through a step-by-step process, to help you prepare a well thought out plan for your land, life, and farm business. Learn how to use a whole system lens to create a living plan for your small farm future. Classes will meet weekly through Zoom, in an online classroom environment and you will be able to connect with a statewide community of other aspiring farm planners. Leave with tools for decision making and a road map to plan for your farming endeavors. Includes many opportunities for networking and community building in smaller breakout groups too!
Course details:
- Course dates: Mondays 6-8pm Sept. 21st – Nov. 2nd 2026
- Online course classroom through Zoom with regional in person opportunities
- Cost: $200 per farm (up to 3 participants)
- Spanish interpretation provided
- Scholarships are available for anyone for whom the course fee is a barrier
Course Objectives:
- To gain knowledge of the practical aspects of whole farm planning for a wide variety of enterprises
- To gain an understanding of the various components of sustainable small-scale farming systems
- To gain skills in assessing the feasibility of developing a viable, sustainable, small-scale farming enterprise including how to evaluate personal and family goals, evaluate land and personal resources, and improve environmental outcomes.
- To learn about available resources and support networks for sustainable farming.
- To develop a whole farm plan that meets social, environmental, and financial goals
Course Topics:
- Sustainability
- Whole Farm Planning
- Ecological Soil Management
- Crop Production Methods and Planning
- Livestock Management
- Resource Evaluation
- Weeds, Pests, and Disease
- Marketing Strategies
- Enterprise Assessments
- Farm Stress
- Risk Management
This course has been made possible with support from the USDA American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Investment Program.