New Farmers

You have made the decision to put in a commercial orchard, start a flower farm or begin a market vegetable operation. Congratulations, you are about to become a small-scale grower! But where do you start?!

As a new grower, you have numerous decisions to make before you even plant a crop: how much time, money and property to invest in your enterprise; what to grow; how much to grow; how, where and to whom you will market your crop; what kind of cropping management techniques you will use; and a host of others. If you are a newcomer to the agricultural world, it can be difficult to navigate the maze of regulations and organizations that you need to understand in order to succeed as a commercial grower.

That said, there are some really great resources out there to help you along the way, and we hope to be able to point you in the right direction.This website is intended to help you find your way to success. 

Beginning Farm Planning

Check out handouts from the Beginning Farming Academy. 

The handouts cover a variety of topics, from assessing your resources to market research and small farm economics.

Other Essentials

• Organic Farming

• Land Access

• Soil Management

• Marketing

• Business Planning