Q&A

DEAR NEW FARM:

I would love to find an online course on organic farming geared toward prospective and new farmers! Please keep me updated! Is the current course you are developing at all relevant for someone beginning an organic farm enterprise?

Sharlena Larkin
Illinois

DEAR SHARLENA:

This is a question we hear often, Sharlena. As we mentioned to another reader this month, the course has been written and is with our design team and should be set to go sometime within the next calendar year.

While the course was designed for conventional farmers converting to organic, there’s plenty there for the beginning farmer. You will learn about soil science, crop selection, rotation, marketing, writing a farm plan and just about everything you need to know to put you on the road to becoming a successful certified organic farmer (at least to get you going; there’s no substitute for experience). You might have a little bit if a head start if you're already a conventional farmer; then again, if you are new to farming, you'll be starting with a clean slate.

NF

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