34: Information for Getting Started
34: Information for Getting Started
There are numerous resources to help you learn how to grow or market-specific products. These are a few that have been verified for content. Reading and research are great, but if you want to start a farm, the best way is to learn from farmers who are already doing it!
Sign up to receive the monthly Small Farms Update, which contains links to several event calendars, as well as resources useful to farmers:
Cornell Small Farms Program Update Sign- Up
http://smallfarms.cornell.edu/contact/e-news-sign-up/
Websites
| Cornell Small Farms Program | Contains a wealth of information about production, marketing, and business management | www.smallfarms.cornell.edu 607-255-9227 |
| ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer to Rural Areas) | One of the best clearinghouses of information on sustainable agriculture in the country. ATTRA is committed to providing high value information and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States. | www.attra.org Toll-free helpline: 800-346-9140 (English) 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time 800-411-3222 (Español) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time |
| eXtension | An interactive learning environment that has information on agriculture production and business management issues. The information posted here represents the best information based upon researchers and educators across the country. New content is added regularly. | http://www.extension.org/ |
| Rodale Institute’s New Farm website | Covers everything of interest to organic farmers | http://organicfarmersassociation.org/new-farm/ |
Books
- Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses
Available online in PDF format form: http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Building-a-Sustainable-Business - Starting an Ag Business? A Pre-Planning Guide by Steve Richards
Available online in PDF format form: https://www.agmrc.org/media/cms/AgBizPrePlanningGuide_91D3019CA30CE.pdf - Farms with a Future: Creating and Growing a Sustainable Farm Business by Rebecca Thistlethwaite
Lays out key lessons on starting and operating a successful farm business, based on the author’s experience and travels around the country interviewing farmers. Available from Chelsea Green Publishers. - The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook by Richard Wiswall
Contains excellent advice and a clear process for managing your farm for profit, also comes with a CD with template forms. Available from Chelsea Green Publishers
Journals and Magazines
- Small Farm Quarterly
All articles available in PDF format online at: http://smallfarms.cornell.edu/quarterly/ - Acres USA – Voice for Eco-Agriculture
https://www.acresusa.com/ - Growing for Market
www.growingformarket.com
Conferences and Events
- NOFA-NY – the Northeast Organic Farming Association’s (NOFA) of NY Annual Conference is in January each year
Check www.nofany.org for details in the fall - PASA – the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) holds its annual conference in February in State College, PA
Check www.pasafarming.org for details - Other NOFA conferences – Most Northeastern US states have a NOFA organization, and most of them also host an annual conference, though there is one Summer Conference in MA. Search for an “organic farming association” in your state, or check out the links to the right.
- NOFA-VT: https://nofavt.org/conference
- NOFA-MA: https://www.nofamass.org/events/wc https://www.nofamass.org/tags/summer-conference
- NOFA-NJ: https://nofanj.org/
- NOFA-NH: https://www.nofanh.org/winterconference
- NOFA-RI: https://nofari.org/events/winter-conference/
Fact Sheet Overview
