The Stateline Farm Beginnings program is a yearlong course with three main components: Farm Dreams Intensive, Practicum, Farm Business Intensive. With over 60 contact hours of class time, participants shape their dream farm into a functional farm proposal, develop a personalized learning program and work with a mentor in their areas of interest, and build a strategic farm business plan rooted in profitability and longevity, guiding their dreams into reality. Most sessions feature a “Meet a Farmer” segment during which participants hear about the start-up and evolution of regional farm businesses directly from the farmer. Other presenters include an attorney, an accountant, Extension educators, USDA programs, insurance providers, a banker and others who provide important practical information.

Stateline Farm Beginnings is a member of the Farm Beginnings Collaborative®, a farmer training model that is community based, rooted in sustainable principles, and farmer led. Through our membership in this one of a kind national collaborative, we utilize our direct connection with farmers, seeking to uphold principles of sustainable farming by promoting farming practices that are ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just, and achievable for new and beginning farmers. We are firmly committed to building long term relationships with farmers and other resource people in the Illinois/Wisconsin Stateline area, strengthening the local food and farming system.

For more information, contact:

Goli Ziolek, Farmer Training Initiative Program Manager

email | farmertraining@learngrowconnect.org

phone | 608-313-4056