FB Course Accepting Applications for 2023-2024

Beginning and prospective farmers are invited to apply to the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings course, a training program that focuses on the goalsetting, marketing, and financial skills needed to establish a successful farm business. The class will run from November 2023 through March 2024, with some additional educational opportunities to take place later in 2024. To view the class schedule, see https://bit.ly/FBClassSchedule.

The deadline for applications is Sept. 1. The cost of the class is $1,000 for up to two participants per farm. Early bird applications submitted by Aug. 1 will receive a $100 discount if you are accepted into the class. Scholarships will be available. For more details and to apply, see landstewardshipproject.org/farm-beginnings-class.

Reach out with any specific questions by contacting LSP’s Pilar Ingram at pingram@landstewardshipproject.org, 612-400-6349; or LSP’s Annelie Livingston-Anderson at annelie@landstewardshipproject.org, 612-400-6350.

For more information on LSP’s Journeyperson course, which can serve as a good follow-up to Farm Beginnings, see landstewardshipproject.org/journeyperson-course or contact Livingston-Anderson.

Is Farming for You?

By the way, if you’re trying to figure out if farming is the right career path for you, take part in LSP’s Farm Dreams Visioning Exercise at landstewardshipproject.org/ farm-dreams-workshop. p

Farm Beginnings Guiding Principles

The Land Stewardship Project is a member of the Farm Beginnings Collaborative, a coalition of community-based groups that offers the Farm Beginnings course in several states. The Farm Beginnings Collaborative adheres to the following principles for the course:

➔ Farmer-led: Class participants will hear from regional farmers about their farms and how they’ve implemented goal setting, marketing, and financial management practices.

➔ Community Based: Because LSP is best able to provide resources and connections in this area, applicants from Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northern Iowa will be given priority. If you are located elsewhere, check out the Farm Beginnings Collaborative website at farmbeginningscollaborative. org to see if there is an organization near you offering Farm Beginnings.

➔ Racial Equity: We acknowledge the historical and ongoing racial inequities and oppression in agriculture towards farmers and communities of color. We commit to furthering our own understanding and supporting the farmers we interact with to do the same. We commit to using the power and influence we have across our organization to build more inclusive and equitable agricultural systems and implement changes that make it possible for more farmers of color to be successful.

➔ Focused on Sustainable Agriculture: All farmers are encouraged to create a farm plan that is economically, socially, and ecologically sustainable.