Beginning Farmer News: Ready to explore farming? Join us on Thursdays!

PFI's Explore Farming series starts Oct. 20!

Getting started in farming can be hard, but with a solid understanding of your purpose and readiness you can create a plan to guide you into farming. The Explore Farming workshop series will walk you through the process of understanding what your path looks like.

Explore Farming is an online workshop series for those just getting started in farming, helping you discover what it would really take to start a farm business. Each session includes exercises to help you assess your skills and resources, and provide direction for next steps in building a farm business. We’ll be joined by local farmers to share their experience in turning their farm dreams into farm reality!

Virtual Workshop Series

Thursdays | Oct. 20, Oct. 27 & Nov. 3

6:30-8 p.m. Central

FREE

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

Save the date for our Annual Conference!

Though we’re just starting to get kissed with the frost, we’re already looking forward to the PFI annual conference, Jan. 20-21, 2023!

Stay tuned to the PFI website for full information and registration, beginning in November.

Ready to look for land?

Get started with a Farmland Access Navigator

Knowing how to farm and having a foundational understanding of farm finances does not translate into a new farmer being able to find, afford and secure land. Farmland Access Navigators assist new, limited- resource farmers in developing an access plan.

Learn more about the program and contact a Farmland Access Navigator.

(Photo: Humble Hands Harvest field day, Decorah, Iowa, in 2018)

Plus... couch time!

127 easy steps to finding farmland

Though the Navigators program has grown and changed, this farminar recording from 2018 will give you a preview of the program and your journey ahead.

BEGINNING FARMER RESOURCES

Check out these additional resources for beginning farmers

ATTRA Internship Hub

Looking to get farm experience? Browse ATTRA’s national directory of on-farm internships for a situation that might be right for you. If you’re looking for something in Iowa, stay tuned for PFI’s Labor4Learning Program, which opens each spring.

CFRA Resources for Farm Financing

Farms are businesses, and as with any business, sound financial planning is crucial to success. Considering your farm finances is especially important for beginners getting started and for landowners considering farm transfers. This web resource on the Center for Rural Affairs website is a wealth of information to get your wheels turning.

Agritourism for Beginners

In this blog post, Luz Ballesteros Gonzalez, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, introduces key points to have in mind as you begin planning to incorporate agritourism into your farming operation. She discusses considerations related to layout, infrastructure, liability, and marketing. Her post also offers links to useful further resources on planning for an agritourism enterprise.

National Farmers Mentoring Program

After attending one of National Farmers’ farmer educational seminars or online learning series, you are eligible for a mentorship. You can interact with your mentor through the two field days a year, and via telephone calls, text or email messages, depending on what works for the mentor.

Contact Austin Geist at ageist@nfo.org or (641) 750-7871 to apply.

Marbleseed Mentorship Program

Apply for the 16th year of The Marbleseed Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program! In this year-long program, newer farmers are paired 1-to-1 with a more experienced grower in order to move their farm forward, focusing on a specific production, business or quality of life aspect of their farm. Applications are due November 30.