Exploring the Small Farm Dream
 Resources for Explorer Class Participants & Self-Study Readers
The following resources supplement the material presented in the Exploring
the Small Farm Dream workbook. The information in Sections One through Four
is presented in the order that topics appear in the workbook text. Resources
in Section Five are organized to correspond to the workbook Resource List.
Contents
Section One - Assess Yourself
Section Two - Research the Landscape
Section Three - Assess Your Resources
Section Four - Make Decisions & Create a Plan
Section Five - Online Resource Materials
Section One - Assess Yourself
Do You Want to Be an Agricultural Business Owner?
“Finding the Niche: Case Studies of Beginning Small-Scale
Farmers” These case studies provide both an inspiration
and a reality check. Download from the NESFI Virtual
Library. Also available from the NESFI Bookstore.
Other Opportunities in the
Field of Agriculture
“Agripedia
Careers in Agriculture” - A listing of agricultural career
opportunities.
“Guide
to USDA Career Opportunities”
American Society of Farm
Managers and Rural Appraisers - Worth investigating if you are interested
in becoming a salaried farm manager.
Rewards & Risks of
Agricultural Business Ownership
“Risk Assessment
for the Small-Scale Farm” (Adobe Reader required)
“How
Risk Tolerant are You?” (Adobe Reader required)
This risk-tolerance self-assessment has been very popular with explorer
class participants.
Knowledge & Skills Assessment
DACUM Occupational Profile for Northeast
Small-Scale ‘Sustainable’ Farmer Self Assessment Tool (Acrobat
Reader required) - A detailed farming skills assessment, based on materials
developed by a panel of successful farmers.
Quality of Life, Environmental & Financial
Considerations
Whole
Farm Planning with Holistic Management™ - An introductory site
that walks readers through the steps of goal setting and farm planning
using the HM model.
Holistic
Management™: A Whole-Farm Decision-Making Framework (Acrobat
Reader required) - A summary by ATTRA of Holistic Management™ planning
steps.
“Whole
Farm Planning: Combining Family, Profit and Environment” -
An overview of approaches to and elements of whole farm planning.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Section Two - Research the Landscape
How to Conduct Research
Good on-line sources for general agricultural information:
ATTRA offers
numerous publications on their website, that cover a wide range of production
and marketing topics. They will also assemble free custom information
packets in response to your questions. Many resources listed on this
website are linked to ATTRA.
The National
Agriculture Library houses an enormous collection, with
over 3.3 million items. It also features many searchable databases.
Check out their Alternative Farming Systems Information Center.
The
Ecological Agriculture Projects Library features thousands
of documents posted online.
The Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) website
features many useful publications and links.
State Cooperative Extension Offices:
BACK TO CONTENTS
Conduct Farmer Interviews
“The
New American Farmer” profiles successful, sustainable farmers
from across the country, including many from the Northeast. They are
excellent supplements to one-on-one interviews. Also available from the
NESFI Bookstore.
Identify Opportunities & Challenges
in the Landscape
Research the agricultural sector - nationally, in the
Northeast region, and in your state:
Resources from the Bureau of Labor Statistics - The
following sheets provide a very good overview of possible careers in
agriculture:
“Marketing to the New Natural Consumer” -
A summary of market research on organic and “lifestyle” consumer
trends. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Northeast Farms to Food: Understanding Our Region’s Food System” -
An overview of food production, processing, distribution and consumption
in the Northeast. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Crisis
and Opportunity in North American Agriculture” - Analysis
of industry trends from a sustainable agriculture perspective.
“Farming
on the Edge: Sprawling Development Threatens America's Best Farmland” -
This American Farmland Trust report can help you find out about development
pressure on farmland in your state.
Research the climate and soils in your region:
- National
Water and Climate Center - Resources on rainfall, growing season
and other climate information. Part of the USDA National Resource and
Conservation Service website.
- State
Soil Surveys - Contact information to request soil maps for
the counties you are interested in. Maps for some states are available
as downloadable file.
Research legal requirements:
- “The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing” -
This easy-to-read guide covers a wide range of legal issues facing
direct-market farmers, including liability for on-farm sales, labor,
processed foods, and marketing meats and animal products. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
- “Is
Your Town Farm Friendly? A Checklist for Sustaining Rural Character” -
A set of useful questions for investigating the regulatory climate
of a potential farm location, or assessing the one you already
have.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Identify Products, Customers
and Market Options
“Marketing
Strategies for Farmers and Ranchers” - An overview of alternative
marketing strategies.
US Census
Fact Finder - A site offering demographic information for the state,
county, city or town where you farm or might like to farm.
Research the Market & Revenue
Potential of Your Operation
The following web resources feature enterprise budgets, including yield
projection and cost of production for a wide range of enterprises. Keep
in mind that for Worksheet #13, you do not need to worry about cost of
production. It only asks for a very rough sketch of yields and revenues.
Penn
State Agriculture Alternatives Series - These pages
offer revenues and yields for a wide range of crop and livestock
enterprises.
The
Planning for Profit Series - This British Columbia Ministry
of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries site features information on yields
for a wide array of crops.
Producer Associations are a great source for up-to-date
market date and information on yields. Use the GNF
Directory  (Adobe
Reader required) to get contact information for your State Department
of Agriculture, who can provide you with a list of agricultural producer
associations in your state.
ATTRA -
Many of their publications feature information on existing and developing
markets for a wide array of enterprises.
Wholesale
Prices - This New Farm website is updated weekly
and features organic and conventional wholesale prices for the East
and West coasts. It is a useful baseline pricing resource even if
you plan to direct market.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Section Three - Assess Your Resources
Financial Resources Inventory
Credit Report Agencies - You can contact these organizations
directly to get a copy of your credit report. Residents of some states,
including Massachusetts, are entitled to at least one free report each
year from each agency. Contact all three. They often offer slightly different
information.
Farm Credit -
Find your local Farm Credit lender.
Farm Service
Agency - Information about government lending programs
for farmers.
“Access
to Credit” - A brief overview by The New England
Small Farm Institute, originally published in The Natural Farmer.
“Building
Better Rural Places” (Adobe
Reader required) - A resource guide to federal resources for farmers
and others, including information about some loan and grant programs.
“Financing
Small-Scale and Part-Time Farms” (Adobe
Reader required) - Overview from Penn State Agriculture Alternatives.
Physical Resources Inventory
Land Linking Programs - These programs match farmers
and farmland
“Access to Land” -
A brief overview by The New England Small Farm Institute, originally published
in The Natural Farmer.
“Estimated
Equipment Needs for Various Sizes of Vegetable Farms”  (Microsoft
Excel required) - A table showing what basic equipment is needed for
vegetable operations of different scales.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Section Four - Make Decisions & Create a Plan
Planning & Getting
Assistance with Your Next Steps
“Growing
New Farmers Directory” - This free on-line directory
helps you search for organizations by topic or by region. For example,
you can search for organizations offering farm business training in
your state. Download "GNF
Directory" (Adobe
Reader required).
Growing
New Farmers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - This webpage
features excellent information and links for beginning farmers.
Resources to assist with planning, management and business skills
development:
Resources to assist with technical skills development:
Resources to assist with enterprise exploration:
Resources to assist with market research and marketing strategy
development:
Resources to assist with resource development:
See Assess Your Resources (above, is Section Three).
General resources for “explorers” who have decided
to begin farming:
FarmCentre
New Farmer Resources - a wide range of resources for new farmers
in Canada. Many are useful to new farmers anywhere.
Cornell
Community, Food and Agriculture Program Calendar - A calendar of
events throughout the Northeast that are of interest to small and sustainable
farmers.
Resources for “explorers” who plan to continue their
exploration:
See Section Five, On-line Resource Materials,
below, for resources on the following topics:
- Starting a Farm
- Self Assessment & Resource Assessment
- Enterprise Selection
Resources for “explorers” who have decided not to
start a farm business:
BACK TO CONTENTS
Section Five - Online Resource
Material
Note: This Section is organized to correspond to the Explorer
Workbook Resource List, but includes only those resources that
are available for reading online, or are included on the NESFI Bookstore
list. Please refer to those lists for the names of authors and publishers.
New Additions
This section features new resources that will be added to upcoming editions
of the Exploring the Small Farm Dream: A Decision-Making Workbook.
“A
Guide to Starting a New Farm Enterprise” This is a new resource
from the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.
“Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business
Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses” Text and worksheets to help
create a business plan. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
Starting a Farm
“Market
Gardening: A Start-Up Guide” Business planning
and start-up issues for aspiring market gardeners.
“Small Scale Livestock Farming” Introduction
to grass-based livestock farming. Includes information on goal setting,
business management and production. Oriented to beginners. Available from
the NESFI Bookstore.
“Finding the Niche: Case
Studies of Beginning Small-Scale Farmers” (Adobe Reader required) - Stories of start-up farms in Wisconsin. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market” Production
manuals with information on marketing, grower profiles and sample enterprise
budgets. Of use to both beginning and more advanced growers. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility
of New Farm-Based Enterprises” User-friendly overview
of enterprise selection and business planning. Written for established
farms that are considering adding a new enterprise, but of use to beginning
farmers as well. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Making Your Small Farm Profitable” Introductory
guide for beginning farmers from the editor of Small Farm Today. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
“You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start and
Succeed in a Farming Enterprise” One of the few books
written explicitly for aspiring farmers from non-farming backgrounds.
The guidelines for enterprise selection may be of particular use to Explorers.
Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
FarmCentre
New Farmers Resources for Canadian “explorers,” but
relevant to US beginning farmers as well.
“Getting Established in Farming” Targeted
at people considering becoming farmers. Primarily focused on how to join
or become a partner in established farm businesses. Midwest, conventional
commodity focus. Part of the Business Management for Farmers series. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Goal Setting & Decision-Making
“Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility
of New Farm-Based Enterprises” User-friendly overview
of enterprise selection and business planning. Written for established
farms that are considering adding a new enterprise, but of use to beginning
farmers as well. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
Self-Assessment & Resource
Assessment
“Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility
of New Farm-Based Enterprises” User-friendly overview
of enterprise selection and business planning. Written for established
farms that are considering adding a new enterprise, but of use to beginning
farmers as well. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Evaluating
a Rural Enterprise” Self- assessment and enterprise
selection for established farmers.
“Risk Assessment
for the Small-Scale Farm” (Adobe
Reader required)
“Managing
Risk: How Risk Tolerant Are You?” (Adobe
Reader required) - Self-assessment tool from Cornell University, with
links to other self-assessment tools.
Market Research
Direct
Marketing - Overview of direct marketing with a section
on market research and developing a marketing plan.
Alternative
Meat Marketing - Market research, enterprise selection,
value-added and start-up considerations for direct and other alternative
meat marketing strategies.
Organic
Marketing Resources - Resource list of publications, websites
and organizations about the marketing of organic products and organic
market resources.
Alternative
Beef Marketing - Background information on been marketing
and report on markets for organic, pasture-finished and “natural” beef
and meat products.
“Farmers and Their Diversified Horticultural Marketing Strategies:
An Educational Video on Innovative Marketing” The farmers
talk about how they developed their marketing strategies, how they perform
ongoing market research, and other details of profitable farm business
operation. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Doing
Your Own Market Research: Tips on Evaluating the Market for New Farm-Based
Enterprises” (Adobe
Reader required) - Overview specifically written for farmers.
“Growing
for Market” Magazine for small growers, with monthly
wholesale price reports on herbs and cut flowers, along with articles
on market gardening. Many articles on legal, liability and management
issues.
“Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility
of New Farm-Based Enterprises” User-friendly overview
of enterprise selection and business planning. Written for established
farms that are considering adding a new enterprise, but of use to beginning
farmers as well. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Green
Markets’ for Farm Products” Market research
summary on alternative market opportunities.
“Northeast Farms to Food: Understanding Our Region’s
Food System” Review of food production, processing, distribution
and consumption in the Northeast. Useful resource for market research.
Produced by the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (NESAWG).
Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
Enterprise Selection
Alternative
Meat Marketing - Market research, enterprise selection,
value-added and start-up considerations for direct and other alternative
meat marketing strategies.
“Keys
to Success in Value-Added Agriculture” Summary of
considerations in value-added enterprise selection based on interviews
with successful producers.
“Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility
of New Farm-Based Enterprises” User-friendly overview
of enterprise selection and business planning. Written for established
farms that are considering adding a new enterprise, but of use to beginning
farmers as well. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start and
Succeed in a Farming Enterprise” One of the few books
written explicitly for aspiring farmers from non-farming backgrounds.
The guidelines for enterprise selection may be of particular use to Explorers.
Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Evaluating
a Rural Enterprise” Self- assessment and enterprise
selection for established farmers.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Business Planning
“Market
Gardening: A Start-Up Guide” Business planning and
start-up issues for aspiring market gardeners.
Enterprise
Budget Analysis (Adobe
Reader required) - Introduction
to enterprise budgets.
“Building A Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing
a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses” Text and
worksheets to help create a business plan. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market” Production
manuals with information on marketing, grower profiles and sample enterprise
budgets. Of use to both beginning and more advanced growers. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility
of New Farm-Based Enterprises” User-friendly overview
of enterprise selection and business planning. Written for established
farms that are considering adding a new enterprise, but of use to beginning
farmers as well. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Preparing
a Business Plan, Guide for Agricultural Producers: Direct Marketing
Example” Sample business plan for direct-marketed
vegetables with blank worksheets. Many other sample business plans
also on website.
“The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing” Covers
liability, regulations, labor law, processed foods and meat marketing issues
for farm stands, farmers’ markets, CSAs and other direct marketing
strategies. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Acquiring and Managing Resources for the Farm Business” Resource
on land tenure, equipment management and personnel planning management.
Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
Risk Management & Safety
Issues
National Agriculture
Safety Database - Online resource featuring information
on agricultural safety issues.
“Risk Assessment
for the Small-Scale Farm” (Adobe
Reader required)
How
Risk Tolerant Are You? (Adobe
Reader required) - This risk-tolerance self-assessment tool
has been very popular with Explorer class participants.
“The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing” Covers
liability, regulations, labor law, processed foods and meat marketing issues
for farm stands, farmers’ markets, CSAs and other direct marketing
strategies. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
Access to Land
“Farmland Transfer and Protection in New England: A Guide
for Entering and Exiting Farmers” Overview of land acquisition
and farm transfer by The New England Small Farm Institute. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Transferring the Farm Series: Access to Land” Fact
sheet from New England Land Link at the New
England Small Farm Institute; contact NESFI regarding availability.
“Access to
Land” A brief overview by The New England Small
Farm Institute, originally published in The Natural Farmer.
Farm Financial Management
“IRS
Publication 225, Farmers Tax Guide” (Adobe
Reader required) - IRS Guide to assist farmers in preparing
their taxes.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Marketing
Direct
Marketing - Overview of direct marketing with a section
on market research and development of a marketing plan.
Alternative
Meat Marketing - Market research, enterprise selection,
value-added and start-up considerations for direct and other alternative
meat marketing strategies.
Organic
Marketing Resources - Resource list of publications, websites
and organizations about the marketing of organic products and organic
market resources.
Alternative
Beef Marketing - Background information on been marketing
and report on markets for organic, pasture-finished and “natural” beef
and meat products.
Processing
and Marketing Chicken Products: Meat and Eggs - Overview
of marketing and processing issues for chicken producers.
“Farmers and Their Diversified Horticultural Marketing Strategies:
An Educational Video on Innovative Marketing” The farmers
talk about how they developed their marketing strategies, how they perform
ongoing market research, and other details of profitable farm business
operation. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
Alternative
Marketing of Pork - Direct marketing and niche markets
for pork producers.
“Growing
for Market” Magazine for small growers, with monthly
wholesale price reports on herbs and cut flowers, along with articles
on market gardening. Many articles on legal, liability and management
issues.
“Preparing
a Business Plan, Guide for Agricultural Producers: Direct Marketing
Example” Sample business plan for direct-marketed
vegetables with blank worksheets. Many other sample business plans
also on website.
“The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing” Covers
liability, regulations, labor law, processed foods and meat marketing issues
for farm stands, farmers’ markets, CSAs and other direct marketing
strategies. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Sharing the Harvest” Guide to starting and
running a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. Available from the
NESFI Bookstore.
“Small Scale Food Entrepreneurship: A Technical Guide for
Food Ventures” Start-up guide for food-processing and
value-added enterprises. Available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“The
Stockman Grass Farmer” Magazine for grassfed livestock
producers; includes many profiles of successful marketers.
General References
“Finding the Niche: Case Studies of Beginning Small-Scale
Farmers” Stories of start-up farms in Wisconsin. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
“The New American Farmer” These case studies
profile successful, sustainable farmers from across the country, including
many from the Northeast. These make an excellent supplement to I-person
interviews. Also available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Listening to New Farmers: Findings from New Farmer Focus
Groups” Summary of focus groups with a wide range of beginning
and aspiring farmers. Written to help service providers better understand
beginning farmers, but interesting for beginning farmers as well. Available
from the NESFI Bookstore.
“Directory of Programs and Services for Northeast New Farmers” List
of organizations and programs serving beginning farmers throughout the
Northeast. Includes access to land, credit, training, legal information
and much more. Also available from the NESFI Bookstore.
“DACUM
Occupational Profile for Northeast Small-Scale ‘Sustainable’ Farmer” Chart
and Self-Assessment Tool provide an outline of the job of farming,
breaking it into a series of duties and tasks. Developed by a panel
of experienced farmers.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Organizations
See the Directory of Programs and Services for Northeast New Farmers,
in print or online, for a more complete list of regional service providers
that address beginning farmer needs.
Alternative
Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) - Extensive
list of alternative crops and farm enterprises, with links to numerous
informational resources. Part of the National Agricultural Library.
Appropriate Technology
Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) - ATTRA is the source
of many of the resources listed in this webpage. They offer numerous
publications on their website, covering a wide range of production
and marketing topics. They will assemble free custom packets in response
to questions from farmers.
British
Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries -
Website featuring sample business plans, hundreds of enterprise budgets,
depreciation calculators and much more.
Canadian
Farm Business Management Council - Many resources
for beginning farmers.
Growing
New Farmers - A project serving beginning farmers throughout
the Northeast. Its website contains a directory, publications, links,
an interactive discussion area and FAQs.
MidWest Plan
Service - Source of many farm business publications, including “Getting
Started in Farming”. Also excellent resource for farm building
and infrastructure plans.
New England
Small Farm Institute - Courses, workshops, publications,
and technical assistance for beginning and established small-scale
farmers. Library with over 5,000 books, periodicals and videos. Provides
assistance to those seeking land, credit, referrals, and information.
Publishers of “Exploring the Small Farm Dream Decision-Making
Workbook” and “Explorer Course Sponsor’s
Guide”.
New York Center
for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH). Farm safety
and health resource serving the Northeast. Features library, workshops
and trainings, and health screenings. Also source of farmer protection
supplies.
Northeast Regional
Agricultural Engineering Service (NRAES). NRAES is a source
for many of the publications listed in this resource guide. They also
produce many other agricultural publications.
NxLeveL™ Education
Foundation - Publishers and sponsors of the Tilling the
Soil of Opportunity business planning course designed specifically
for farmers. Contact their office or to their website to find out about
courses near you.
Penn
State Agriculture Alternatives - Penn State has many business
and enterprise planning resources, available in print and online. Many
of their publication are written with less experienced farmers in mind.
Risk
Management Agency - Northeast regional office of RMA offers
risk management education and products, including crop insurance. A
USDA agency.
|
