Agriculture > Colorado Building Farmers
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Building Capacity, Building Community
This material is based upon work supported by NIFA under Award Number 2012-49400-19767 .
Contacts |
Impact reports |
Current programs |
Resources |
CBF Videos |
Exploring a Market Farm Business |
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The Colorado Building Farmers program builds farm community and farmer capacity through classroom and experiential learning for beginning farmers and ranchers (USDA defines as 0 – 10 yrs experience). The classroom program is a series of 8 evening classes designed to help New Farmers and Ranchers explore farming as a business and provide Intermediate and Experienced Farmers and Ranchers with tools and ideas to refine and enhance their business management, production, and marketing skills. The mentorship program provides engaged experiential learning to beginning farmers and ranchers from experienced farmers and ranchers. Local Program Coordinators: Contact Adrian Card for current programming in Colorado. adrian.card@colostate.edu Project director and co-lead: Dawn Thilmany, dawn.thilmany@colostate.edu |
2011 - 2012 classroom programs - check back for fall program announcements.
"Principles of Business Planning and Management" is our introductory level course and is the course shown below from past County program announcements. Those who successfully complete that course will be awarded a certificate of completion. Certificate holders may apply for additional learning opportunities when available such as mentorships, internships, consultant services and advanced classes.
Boulder County FALL 2012 offering advanced classes for prior program graduates |
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Chaffee County brochure | registration - Appilcations due January 9, 2012 Applications | New farmer | Intermediate farmer | Experienced farmer |
LaPlata County brochure | application Applications due January 11, 2012 |
Larimer County brochure | new farmer app | intermediate farmer app | exp farmer app- Applications due September 7, 2012 |
Pueblo County brochure | flyer| registration - Applications are due October 14, 2011 Applications - New and Intermeditate | Experienced |
2013 Mentorship and Internship Programs
Boulder County |
Denver County Building Urban Farmers |
Larimer County |
Colorado Building Farmers videos - click YouTube icon in embedded viewer if you would like to view on the YouTube website and see other suggested videos
Overview of Colorado Building Farmers
Testimonials
Farmers' Market perspectives on CBF:
Bob D'Alessandro, Exe Dir of Boulder County Farmers Markets and Cindy Torres, Exe Dir of Colorado Farmers Market Assoc
2010 Boulder County CBF class participant testimonials - their thoughts during the beginning, middle and end of the program
Impact reports on local programs
Boulder County - LaPlata County
Boulder County three year evaluation
Other US Beginning Farmer Programs (producers with 0 - 10 years of experience)
Center for Rural Affairs - Beginning Farmer
Northeast Beginning Farmers Project
New England Small Farm Institute
START2FARM.GOV - National Clearinghouse for Beginning Farmer and Rancher Programs
Exploring a Market Farm Business
Factsheet with questions and resources for those interested in starting a Market Farm
Resources Used in the Building Farmers Class ("Principles of Business Planning and Management")
“Building a Sustainable Business” entire publication: http://www.sare.org/publications/all_pubs.htm; BSB sections found at: http://www.misa.umn.edu/Publications/BuildingaSustainableBusiness/
Ag Plan - online business plan tool - https://www.agplan.umn.edu/ and register for Ag Plan and select an "Ag -Value Added" template
Market Farming Success - by Lynn Byczynski
Organic Farmer's Business Handbook - by Richard Wiswall (NOTE: CBF is not an organic only program and uses this text for aspects of its content broader than organic production system choices alone)
Northeast Beginning Farmers Project Videos - Voices of Experience
Colorado Business Resource Guide - from the State of Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Labor Management in Agriculture - from University of California