organicgrowersschool.org€¦ · Web viewApplication For OGS Farm Beginnings®. Farmer Training....

Application For OGS Farm Beginnings® Farmer Training

October 2018-September 2019

The Farm Beginnings® class is a 12-month training program that helps beginning farmers clarify their goals and strengths, establish a strong enterprise plan and start building or expand their operation. The course uses a mix of farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, an extensive farmer network and mentorship. Farm Beginnings® is designed for new and expanding farmers who want to plan a profitable farm business. Students do not need to currently own land, but some farming or production experience is required.

Please be sure to read the OGS Farm Beginnings website here, and the following document to understand the requirements to participate. This year-long training is a big commitment. Be sure you understand the in’s and out’s. The course fee includes a total of 210+ hours of class time:

● 60 hours of class instruction**● 24 hours of WNC CRAFT Farm Tours● 14-20 hours of Field days farmer workshops at the Southern Appalachian

Highlands Conservancy Incubator Farm● 40+ hours of classes at the OGS Spring Conference and Harvest

Conferences● 8 hours at ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference● 15 hours of one-on-one mentoring with an advanced Mentor Farmer

Course Fee: $3000 per farm for up to 2 farm business partners. ● If you are unable to pay the full course fee, do not be deterred! Scholarships

and payment plans are available and we encourage you to apply. Learn more on our Tuition & Scholarships page.

**NOTE: Although the spring & summer portions of the Farm Beginnings curriculum include production-related workshops, please keep in mind that a bulk of the time commitment is classroom-based, with the content focusing primarily on the business side of farming. This class is not about teaching farming practices, but understanding farming in the context of business management.

OGS Farm Beginnings Introduction and Application Packet 2018-2019 1

Applications accepted on a rolling basis until fullFinal deadline:

September 15th, 2018How to apply: Send completed application via mail to the address or email below. You can also apply online. You will be notified regarding acceptance or denial via

email after we have reviewed your application.

Mailing Address: Farm Beginnings ℅ Organic Growers School, P.O. Box 17804 Asheville, NC 28816Email Address: nicole @organicgrowersschool.org

Space is limited. We would like to keep our participants to 20 to allow more time for interactions between guest speakers and participants.

LOCATION: All winter sessions are held at the GRO- Growing Rural Opportunities at the Mill Spring Agricultural Center, 156 School Road, Mill Spring, NC 28756 (Polk County) 45 minutes from Asheville.

Course Dates and Times—October ‘18 to September ‘19:

A. Winter Classroom Sessions (October 2018-March 2019): The winter classroom session schedule and dates are forthcoming. In general, you can expect to attend 12 winter classroom session 1-2 times per month from October 2018 - March 2019. Classes rotate between Wednesday evenings or Saturdays. The classes are scheduled to accommodate people working full time. Participants will graduate in September 2019.

B. ASAP Business of Farming Conference (February 2019): ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference is a day of learning and networking for farmers and those seriously considering farming as a profession. Each year the conference offers business and marketing themed workshops, networking opportunities, and resources to help farmers grow their businesses. The conference also features meetings with wholesale buyers, professional consulting opportunities, business and agricultural exhibits.

C. OGS Spring Conference (March 2019): OGS Spring Conference offers a wealth of organic focused practical education opportunities. Friday the 11th features full and half day workshops available for an additional fee. Admission to weekend workshops are included in Farm Beginnings fees. Over the course of three days participants can choose from over 100 different workshops. Students are encouraged to participate in the Beginning Farmer Track workshops, and other workshops that align with your farm plan.

D. CRAFT Farm Tours (April - September 2019): Farm Beginnings Participants are automatic members of WNC CRAFT. Students are able to attend 8+ farm tours hosted by CRAFT Farm Members. At each tour


participants receive an overview of the general farm practices, as well as a focus on a specific farm production topic, followed by a group potluck. Topics change each year and cover practices like cover crops, vegetable production, livestock, production planning, and more. Schedule will be determined in March 2018. Farm tours are typically held on a Saturday or Sunday, 1-2 times per month.

E. Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Incubator Farm Field Days (April - September 2019): Participants attend 6-7 Field days at our partner organization’s incubator farm, including topics such as BCS maintenance and repair, livestock load-out design and build, high tunnel fall transition, and more. Schedule to be determined. Field days are typically held on Sundays and Thursdays once per month.

F. OGS Harvest Conference (September TBD, 2019): Harvest Conference is a one day conference with a focus on fall & winter Growing, home cooking, fermentation, preservation, homestead skills, and self-reliance. It also offers pre-conference whole and half-day workshop intensives.

G. One-on-One Mentorship: (April-September 2019) The Mentorship program partners students with experienced regional farmers who help them develop practical and planning skills in the areas of production, marketing and business management, and connect them to the regional farming community. This mentorship will take place April through September during the student's’ year of attendance. Once an enterprise or specific skill area that students want to develop is identified, OGS staff will help the student select which farm or farmers will be the best match to fulfill their learning objectives. Farm Mentors and students will commit to 10-15 hours of a mix of on farm, phone, and email time specific to the needs of the participating parties.

H. Certificate of Completion (September 2019): In order to receive a certificate of completion, 80% of the above activities must be attended by each participant and all required parts of the Farm Plan portfolio completed by the end of the course in September 2018. Farm Beginnings® is an approved educational vendor with the USDA Farm Service Agency and completion of the program can help you qualify for farm loans.

Required parts of the Farm Plan Portfolio include:❏ A holistic goal❏ A timeline of one and five year plans❏ Enterprise budget and personal budget❏ Growing Season Learning Plan❏ Farm Proposal


Primary Applicant Contact Information

Name(s): ___________________________________________________________Farm Name (if applicable):_______________________________________________Address:____________________________________________________________City:_______________________________________ State: _______________ Zip______________County: _____________________Email Address: _______________________________________________________Phone: (in order of preference)(1st choice) __________________________________Home/Work/Cell (circle one)(2nd choice) _________________________________Home/Work/Cell (circle one)May we call you at work? ▢ Yes ▢ No

How did you hear about Farm Beginnings®?

▢ Email▢ Facebook/Social Media▢ Website

▢ Conference/event▢ Word of mouth▢ Poster


▢ Print Ad▢ Radio

▢ Other: _______________________________

Please list an emergency contact person & their phone number: __________________________________________________________________Do you have any allergies or other medical conditions that are important for us to know about?_____________________________________________________________

Will a family or business partner attend OGS FB with you? ▢ Yes ▢ No

**If YES, please have partner complete a Partner Application (enclosed):

Partner’s Name: _____________________________________________________________________

(If you need more space than provided, please attach additional sheets.)

Check all that apply to you: (use your outcome from the “Growing the Next Generation Worksheet” to determine which apply to you)

❏ Emerging Farmer ❏ In-training Farmer❏ Start-up Farmer❏ Seasoned Farmer❏ Currently farming trying to expand my farm enterprise❏ Community gardener/urban farmer ❏ Interested in working in agriculture but not as a farm owner.

1. Do you currently own land where you will be/are farming? ▢ Yes ▢ No

2. Do you currently have access to land where you will be/are farming, includes leased land, family/friend’s land, or other arrangement? ▢ Yes

▢ No

3. Are you actively farming now? (For the purposes of this application, “farming” can include starting a farm, transitioning an existing farm from conventional to sustainable and/or working as a manager, employee or intern on someone else’s farm.) ▢ Yes ▢ No


4. Indicate which best describes your intended farming involvement in 5-10 years. Check all that apply:

❏ Full-time farming only❏ Part-time (with off farm work)❏ Full time (with off farm work)❏ Farm worker/Apprentice

❏ Farm manager❏ Farmland owner❏ Other: __________________________

5. How will this agricultural training fit into your future life plans?

6. Why are you interested in Farm Beginnings®? Explain your passion and capacity for farming. How did you come to this dream? How long have you been interested in farming?

7. What kind of knowledge and skills do you hope to achieve by attending Farm Beginnings®?

8. Indicate the areas you are specifically interested in working on during the Farm Beginnings® training. Check all that apply:

❏ Financial planning❏ Exposure to sustainable

agricultural practices❏ Business start up and

management❏ Networking with other farmers❏ Marketing❏ Quality of life issues

❏ Legal issues and regulations❏ Lowering production costs❏ Profit and loss projections❏ Land Access options❏ Access to lending and capital❏ Production Skills❏ Enterprise development


Other (please list) __________________________________________________

9. Please describe your prior farming experience. Please include any formal agricultural training, any agricultural jobs, apprenticeships, or workshops attended, or other agricultural experience you have had. Name any farms or gardens where you have worked. If you have no farming experience, please describe any experience you have related to gardening or raising animals.

10. Briefly describe any non-ag experience or formal training that you believe will apply to starting and running a farm business (ie; management, accounting, supervising employees, market managing, chef, carpentry, physical labor, etc).

11. What do you see as your biggest obstacle in starting your own farm operation?

12. What farming enterprise(s) are you considering? Check all that apply:

❏ Agritourism❏ Cattle (meat)❏ Dairy❏ Education❏ Flowers

❏ Goats❏ Grains❏ Hogs❏ Honey❏ Medicinal herbs

❏ Poultry (eggs)❏ Poultry (meat)❏ Sheep (meat)❏ Sheep (fiber)❏ Therapeutic farm


❏ Fruits❏ Forest products

❏ Mushrooms ❏ Vegetables

Other (please list) ____________________________________________________

13. After completing the Farm Beginnings© program, when do you hope to be farming?

⃞ Already farming ⃞ Within 1 year ⃞ 2-3 years ⃞ 4-5 years ⃞ More than 5 years

14. Please share any questions, concerns or comments you have about the Farm Beginnings® program.

15. Please list one personal and one professional reference. (Name, phone, and email only.)

Partner Applicant Contact Information:

Name(s): ___________________________________________________________Farm Name (if applicable): _______________________________________________Address:____________________________________________________________City:_______________________________________ State: ________ Zip____________County: ______________________Email Address: _______________________________________________________Phone: (in order of preference)(1st choice) __________________________________Home/Work/Cell (circle one)(2nd choice) _________________________________Home/Work/Cell (circle one)May we call you at work? ▢ Yes ▢ No


How did you hear about Farm Beginnings®?

▢ Email▢ Facebook▢ Website▢ Print Ad▢ Radio

▢ Conference/event▢ Word of mouth▢ Poster▢ Other: _______________________________

Please list an emergency contact person & their phone number: __________________________________________________________________Do you have any allergies or other medical conditions that are important for us to know about?_____________________________________________________________

Partner’s Name: _____________________________________________________________________

(If you need more space than provided, please attach additional sheets.)

Check all that apply to you: (use your outcome from the “Growing the Next Generation Worksheet” to determine which apply to you)

❏ Emerging Farmer ❏ In-training Farmer❏ Start-up Farmer❏ Seasoned Farmer❏ Currently farming trying to expand my farm enterprise❏ Community gardener/urban farmer ❏ Interested in working in agriculture but not as a farm owner.

1. Do you currently own land where you will be/are farming? ▢ Yes ▢ No

2. Do you currently have access to land where you will be/are farming, includes leased land, family/friend’s land, or other arrangement? ▢ Yes

▢ No


3. Are you actively farming now? (For the purposes of this application, “farming” can include starting a farm, transitioning an existing farm from conventional to sustainable and/or working as a manager, employee or intern on someone else’s farm.) ▢ Yes ▢ No

4. Indicate which best describes your intended farming involvement in 5-10 years. Check all that apply:

❏ Full-time farming only❏ Part-time (with off farm work)❏ Full time (with off farm work)❏ Farm worker/Apprentice

❏ Farm manager❏ Farmland owner❏ Other: __________________________

5. How will this agricultural training fit into your future life plans?

6. Why are you interested in Farm Beginnings®? Explain your passion and capacity for farming. How did you come to this dream? How long have you been interested in farming?

7. What kind of knowledge and skills do you hope to achieve by attending Farm Beginnings®?

8. Indicate the areas you are specifically interested in working on during the Farm Beginnings® training. Check all that apply:

❏ Financial planning❏ Exposure to sustainable

agricultural practices❏ Business start up and

❏ Legal issues and regulations❏ Lowering production costs❏ Profit and loss projections❏ Land Access options


management❏ Networking with other farmers❏ Marketing❏ Quality of life issues

❏ Access to lending and capital❏ Production Skills❏ Enterprise development

Other (please list) __________________________________________________

9. Please describe your prior farming experience. Please include any formal agricultural training, any agricultural jobs, apprenticeships, or workshops attended, or other agricultural experience you have had. Name any farms or gardens where you have worked. If you have no farming experience, please describe any experience you have related to gardening or raising animals.

10. Briefly describe any non-ag experience or formal training that you believe will apply to starting and running a farm business (ie; management, accounting, supervising employees, market managing, chef, carpentry, physical labor, etc).

11. What do you see as your biggest obstacle in starting your own farm operation?

12. What farming enterprise(s) are you considering? Check all that apply:

❏ Agritourism❏ Cattle (meat)❏ Dairy

❏ Goats❏ Grains❏ Hogs

❏ Poultry (eggs)❏ Poultry (meat)❏ Sheep (meat)


❏ Education❏ Flowers❏ Fruits❏ Forest products

❏ Honey❏ Medicinal herbs❏ Mushrooms

❏ Sheep (fiber)❏ Therapeutic farm❏ Vegetables

Other (please list) ____________________________________________________

13. After completing the Farm Beginnings® program, when do you hope to be farming?

Already farming⃞ Within 1 year⃞ 2-3 years⃞ 4-5 years⃞ More than 5 years⃞

14. Please share any questions, concerns or comments you have about the Farm Beginnings® program.

15. Please list one personal and one professional reference. (Name, phone, and email only.)

2018-2019 Scholarship Application


Organic Growers School aims to create affordable, broadly accessible programs, while at the same time, providing fair wages to our farmer instructors and dedicated staff. Financial Aid for Farm Beginnings is limited and priority is given to those with the least financial resources and strongest intentions towards raising funds through their own networks. Please consider your needs and resources carefully. We encourage you to consider a Payment Plan as your first option towards financial support. If requesting funding from OGS is necessary, we ask you to consider what would be a stretch, but not a strain, for you to invest in your education and professional development.

The guidelines that will be used to assess applicants are as follows:

● Financial need● Passion and capacity for farming● Ability and willingness to give back to program● Understanding of the value of this farmer training education

2018-2019 Scholarship Application

Fill out this form and return at the same time as your application. Awards will be given out as requests are received. None will be accepted after September 1st, 2018:

Name(s):______________________________________________________

Farm Name (if applicable):__________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________

Email/ phone: __________________________________________________

Are you a resident of Polk County or Landrum, SC (29356 area code)? ▢ Yes ▢ No

If so, are you interested in being considered for a scholarship through the Polk County Community Foundation Fund (if you check yes, this allows us to share your financial information with them) ?

▢ Yes ▢ No

Valuing Education

University systems are often heavily funded and subsidized institutions with vast infrastructure and highly paid faculty and staff. As a grassroots-based non-profit


we are able to see and fill an educational need not currently offered through institutional education. While we run a lean organization, we do rely on income from our students to make these programs happen. Please consider this farmer training education as invaluable as you would a university or college education. Learning to thrive in a land-based life takes courage and dedication as well as support and training. Your contribution to what you’re getting helps us continue to support aspiring and emerging farmers.

1. Did you attend university or college? When? Where?

2. Do you currently owe on college loans? ▢ Yes ▢ NoIf yes, how much is owed?

3. How did you pay for college? Check all that apply:

❏ Scholarships❏ Loans

❏ Parents/Family❏ Self

Other (please explain): _______________________________________________________

4. Do you have significant savings, a family fund, or do you have family/friends willing to support you in your education endeavors?

5. Describe your current support system that allows you to explore a land-based life:

6. Do you see farmer training as crucial to your success as a farmer?

7. Are you willing to ask your family and community circles for financial support? If so, who can you imagine asking in your community?


8. Are you willing to do a work trade for part of your tuition? This would entail coming early to classes or staying late to help with room set-up and clean-up, being available during lunch breaks to assist as needed, data entry for events as needed, etc. (Only 2 work-trade spots available)

▢ Yes ▢ No

9. Are you willing to do personal fundraising through online media or community events? You can also check out our “Personal Fundraising” tips on our Tuition & Scholarships webpage: ▢ Yes ▢ No

10.How much do you feel you’d be able to pay? ________________

11.What is the dollar amount you are are requesting in scholarship?_____________

Please include a statement of need with your application, limited to 1.5 pages. Keep in mind only partial scholarships are given. Your statement should address:

a. Financial need: While we will look at your tax statement, please indicate personally why you need financial support

b. Your passion and capacity for farming: This is also included in our main application, but please be as specific as possible.

c. Your ability and willingness to give back to program: In the future, by hosting farm visits, teaching classes or workshops, or volunteering at OGS events.

Please include:


1. A copy of your last 2 years in tax returns: Year 2016 and 2017. This information will only be reviewed by the scholarship committee and will be kept confidential.

Please send all information to:

Mail: Farm BeginningsOrganic Growers School,

PO Box 17804, Asheville, NC 28816

OR

Email: Scan documents into one pdf and email to [email protected]

*Please be sure to double check that you have completed all requested information and sent tax documentation.*

Awards will be determined on a rolling basis and no later than September 15th, 2018.

THANK YOU!

Application Checklist:

Be sure to review all application requirements before submitting:● Application must be received by September 1st, 2017. Please, account for

mailing time.● Early Bird Discount: $100 course fee discount for applications received by

August 1st.● Send completed application via mail to:

○ Organic Growers School, PO Box 17804 Asheville, NC 28816


● If you are using the online application, email any questions or problems to [email protected]

● Please review the checklist below to be sure all required parts are submitted at once. Only completed applications will be reviewed.

● You will be notified regarding course acceptance or denial via email once we have reviewed all applications by September 15th.

● We may contact you by phone for any follow-up questions regarding your application.

● If you have a applied for a scholarship through OGS as well, awardees will be notified via email.

● Correspondence initially will be sent to “primary applicant” only

If you have any questions contact: [email protected] or 828-284-7715

Does your application packet include... YES NO

Farm Beginnings Primary Applicant

Farm Beginnings Partner Applicant (optional)

Growing the Next Generation worksheet for each applicant

Scholarship Application (optional)

Copies of 2016 and 2017 tax returns for each applicant if not filed jointly. (Only required if you’re applying for a scholarship)

2 references for each applicant


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