‘Is Farming Your Future?’ Workshop May 22 in Hutchinson

CONTACT: Nick Olson, LSP, 320-269-2105; nicko@landstewardshipproject.org

5/10/11
HUTCHINSON, Minn. — Are you trying to figure out if a farming career is right for you? The Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings program is offering a “Farm Dreams” workshop Sunday, May 22, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., in Hutchinson. The registration fee is $20 for Land Stewardship Project (LSP) members and $40 for non-members, and pre-registration is required. For details or to register, contact Nick Olson at 320-269-2105 or nicko@landstewardshipproject.org.

“The workshop is designed to help people who are seeking practical, common sense information on whether farming is for them,” said Amy Bacigalupo, Farm Beginnings Director. “This is an opportunity to learn what it takes to start and manage a farm-based business, and decide whether this is the path they are ready to take.”

In this interactive workshop, participants will learn about regional training opportunities through LSP’s Farmer-to-Farmer Network, the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Extension and others. This class is the first step to planning an educational path toward farming.

After participating in this class and getting on-farm training over the growing season, prospective farmers may be ready for Farm Beginnings, a 36-hour course on strategic planning for low-cost, sustainable methods of farming. The deadline for the 2011-2012 Farm Beginnings course is Aug. 1, and classes will be held in the Minnesota communities of Rochester and Hutchinson. For more information on Farm Beginnings educational offerings, call 507-523-3366 or visit www.farmbeginnings.org.

The “Farm Dreams” initiative is supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant 2010-03107.

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