• The New Farmer Collaborative
• Archeology Field Program
• Field Schools

The New Farmer Collaborative

The New Farmer Collaborative is an innovative partnership of farmers, educators, farming experts and organizations. Led by the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, the New Farmer Collaborative provides training in sustainable agriculture and small farm economics through demonstrations, workshops, and apprenticeships. The Collaborative�s three components:

• Exploring the Small Farm Dream, designed to help prospective farmers decide whether an farm business is right for them;


• The Small Farm Enterprise, series, a series of workshops and seminars on trends, techniques and economics; and


• Master Apprenticeships, which offer extensive training and hands-on experience to prospective farmers through residential and volunteer programs.

The New Farmer Collaborative is an important sustainable-agriculture education resource for the Potomac River watershed.

1. Exploring the Small Farm Dream: Is Starting an Agricultural Business Right for You?

This four-session course helps people who are considering a small-scale commercial farming to learn what it will take to start and manage a farm business. Developed by the Small Farms Institute, the course helps prospective farmers decide whether to start or purchase a farming operation. This �Explorer� series provides pre-venture aspiring farmers an opportunity to address the wide range of critical issues they must consider if they are to establish clear personal and business goals for a farm. The course is also designed to help students map the practical next steps to starting or purchasing an operation.

The Small Farms Institute has designed the course and developed a workbook and related teaching materials. The Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship has organized partners in the Potomac River watershed to participate in the training.

Currently fifty percent of those who graduate from the Small Farms Institute course say they still want to pursue farming. All graduates are much more appreciative and supportive of the small farms in their area. Some landowners who opt not to farm after the course have decided to allow another course graduate to start a farm on their land. Others decide to start small as part-time farmers, with the idea of growing the business as they plant to retire.

2. Small Farm Enterprise series

The Blue Ridge Center presents a series of workshops on small-scale agricultural enterprises for current and prospective farmers. These workshops complement the �Exploring the Small Farm Dream� series by providing an introduction into different aspects of small-scale agriculture. We offer one session each month, and each session is lead by an expert in the field, typically and extension agent or successful farmer.

The participants in the workshops are college students, farm workers and interns, landowners who want to explore the dream of setting up a farm enterprise on their land, 4-H members, and beginning farmers who are interested in diversifying their existing farming operation.

Our topics for the 2004 Small Farm Enterprise series are:

• Livestock: Grazing and Grasses, and Choosing the Right Breed
• Market Gardening: The course explores a range of topics from design to production.
• Small Fruits: Developing and growing an orchard and berry business.
• Growing Grapes: Matching varieties with soils and the marketplace.
• Cut-Flower Production: Pick-your-own operations and market sales.

Other courses will cover a variety of farm business topics, such as creating business and marketing plans, buying the right land for your business plan, strategies for incorporating community supported agriculture, and others.

3. Master Apprentice training program

To help prepare a new generation of farmers, and to help people planning a second career in farming in their retirement years, the Blue Ridge Center hosts a few Master Apprentices each year. Participants receive training in farming techniques, marketing, budgeting and best management practices.

Archaeology Field Program

Join staff archaeologist Timothy Parsons on a series of in-the-dirt workshops to uncover the history of our land. You�ll never look at the landscape the same again.

Field Schools

Each spring students from partner colleges come to the Blue Ridge Center for courses in archaeology, history and biology. While learning and honing skills in field-research methods, students and faculty are creating a picture of the settlement and agricultural history of our land and the Between the Hills valley. Highlights of the field season include many events open to the public, such as guest lectures and digs.

Participating schools include:
Millsaps College, Mississippi;
University of Louisville, Kentucky

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