This winter, the MA Dept. of Agricultural Resources will offer two courses:
“Exploring the Small Farm Dream ”
5-session course using curriculum and workbook developed by the New England Small Farm Institute. For those who are thinking about or in the planning stages of a starting their own farm, including those who are expanding a hobby to an income-generating scale. This course offers guidance and resources to help make informed decisions about what’s involved with owning your own farm so you can decide whether to take the plunge – and how to proceed in the first stages.
“Growing Your Farm Business Planning Course”
A course to help established farmers develop a business plan and financial projections for their farm business. This course covers topics including resource assessment, marketing strategy, financial management, risk management, quality of life, and goal setting. The course is taught by professional business planners with years of experience working with Massachusetts farms and guest speakers on current topics such as succession planning and online marketing. Enrollment is open to farmers who have been operating a farm business in Massachusetts for at least the two prior years.
Full course descriptions, course schedules, and applications are available online at https://www.mass.gov/service-details/agricultural-business-training-program-abtp
