Auburn, Calif. April 23, 2019 – Is your dream to start a small farm or ranch? Are you ready to get started on your dream? Apply for the Beginning Farming Academy offered by the University of California Cooperative Extension on April 26th and 27th, 2019. The class is held in Auburn and runs from 8 AM to 8 PM on Friday, April 26th, and from 8 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, April 27th. April 23 is the application deadline for the April class.
The Academy is an intensive 2-day introduction to starting a small commercial farm or ranch and will help prospective farmers jumpstart their operations. “Participants will learn to assess their land and resources, research markets, and analyze the potential economic viability of their operation,” says Dan Macon, Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor.
The workshop focuses on marketing, business, and economic planning for small farms, rather than on production practices. The class is taught by University of California Farm Advisors and expert local farmers and ranchers. It includes field trips to a farm and certified farmers’ market.
The class is limited to 15 prospective producers. To apply, please complete the online application at https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=26798. Applicants are encouraged to answer the questions as completely as possible.
The Beginning Farming Academy is partially funded by a Western Extension Risk Management Education grant from the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Meal cost for the two days is $85, and includes all meals and snacks on Friday and breakfast, lunch, and snacks on Saturday.
For questions or more information on the Beginning Farming Academy, please contact Cindy Fake at cefake@ucanr.edu or 530.889.7385.