Posts Tagged ‘Dakota Rural Action’

Training the next generation of farmers

September 22nd, 2011

I hear a lot of talk among my farmer friends about how tough it is for young people to become farmers.  My wife and I have a nephew who was born to be a farmer.  Luckily, his father and grandfather both farm.  Over time, they will provide access to land.  In the meantime, and equally important, they will help him learn the ropes of farming. 

Not everyone, however, is so fortunate. If you don’t have access to land and/or mentors, what do you do? Going back to college for a degree in agriculture might be an answer.  But not everyone can afford (in either time or money) to take that option.  

That’s why I appreciate the efforts of Dakota Rural Action.  For the last three years, they have offered a new farmer course called Farm Beginnings. It’s geared toward newcomers to the field of sustainable agriculture, and their classes are held on Saturdays during the winter months. 

I’ll let you check out the details of the class on the Dakota Rural Action website.  I’d point out that class size is limited and scholarships are available.  The deadline is September 30th. 

I’d also recommend that people check out profiles of people who have graduated from the program.  It’s always nice to hear about the impact training programs have on people’s lives. 

The Farm Beginnings class is a great opportunity for people who live in eastern South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota – but not so great for people in other parts of the country. It’s made me wonder what other options are available around the country to train the next generation of farmers?  Whether traditional or sustainable agriculture, I’d be interested in learning about what other people are doing.

 

Photo:  Aaron (program graduate) & Kirstin Johnson.  Photo by Kirstin Johnson.

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“Farm Beginnings” now offered in Brookings

July 14th, 2009

I’ve been impressed lately with how Deuel Area Development, Inc.  has been using their blog to connect with the residents of Deuel County, SD.  As you can see on their blog (www.deuelco.wordpress.com), they use it to provide updates on meetings, social events, and resources. 

 Today, I’m reposted one their posts (Thanks Briana) of a resource titled “Farm Beginnings now offered in Brookings” because I think it applies to people across the region.  When you are done reading, I’d encourage you to look into the other cool stuff going on over in Deuel. And if you are in community/economic development work, I hope you consider using a blog as a way to connect with your constituents. 

“Farm Beginnings” now offered in Brookings

Has it always been your dream to be a farmer, but you just aren’t sure how to get started? Well, an amazing opportunity is now available to help those dreams come true! Farm Beginnings, a farmer-led training and support program, will be available in Brookings this year.

Brought to you by Dakota Rural Action, Farm Beginnings is a program with a curriculum developed by a Minnesota-based Land Stewardship Project over a decade ago. Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, and New York are already taking advantage of the program, and now with the help of DRA, the curriculum has been adapted to fit the needs of South Dakota!

The Farm Beginnings curriculum expands far beyond the basic start-up steps to creating a new operation. Subjects covered by Farm Beginnings include:

Goal setting

Financial planning

Business plan creation

Alternative marketing

Innovative production techniques

 All of the classes are taught by experienced, local farmers and agricultural professionals.  If you are busy during the year, don’t worry. Farm Beginnings is not a time consuming project. From October 2009 to March 2012, classes are held twice a month in Brookings. On-farm education components are held from April to August, and participants may connect with other farmers for additional mentorship if desired.

If you are interested in this program and would like to learn more or fill out an application, contact:

Dakota Rural Action at (605) 697-5204 or heidiku@dakotarural.org.

The application deadline is August 31, 2009, so don’t wait! Class size is limited!

~Post written by Angela Kjenstad

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