Trainer Resources
- NEW FARMER TRAINING PROGRAMS
- ON-LINE TEACHING MATERIALS
- AGRICULTURAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
- APPRENTICESHIPS
- NEW FARMER FAQs
- CASE STUDIES
- SMALL FARM RESOURCES
- PRESENTATIONS from NEW FARMER PILOT PROJECTS
Click here to download "Toward Sustainable Agriculture: A Guide for Hawaii's Farmers" (Dec 2006)
New Farmer Training Programs
- The Farm Beginnings Program of the Land Stewardship Project helps new farmers transition successfully into agriculture by providing training and support, mentoring, and apprenticeships with experienced farmer in Minnesota. Website provides a model for new farmer training programs.
- Illinois Farm Beginnings (Central Illinois)
- Stateline Farm Beginnings (Angelic Organics, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin)
- Growing New Farmers: The Growing New Farmers (GNF) Project is a regional initiative to provide future generations of Northeast farmers (Maryland to Maine) with the support and expertise they need to begin farming. This website has a directory, farmer FAQ, and calendar.
- Cultivating Success, a Community-Based Education Program in Sustainable Small Acreage Farming and Ranching, University of Idaho and Washington State University.
- Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers from the Center for Integrated Agriculture Systems Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy Farmers from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
ON-LINE Teaching Materials
- Exploring Sustainability in Agriculture: An Online Sustainable Agriculture Instructional Resource from the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (downloadable instruction manual).
- Teaching Organic Farming and Gardening: Resources for Instructors from the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (downloadable instruction manual). This 604 page publication includes sections on organic farming and gardening skills and practices, applied soil science, and social and environmental issues in agriculture.
- Teaching Direct Marketing and Small Farm Viability: Resources for Instructors from the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (downloadable instruction manual).
- Living on the Land 2001 - Stewardship of Small Acreages Teaching Modules. (Montana State University): This website features modules for teaching small acreage landowner seminars on natural resource management. Each module contains information and exercises. PowerPoint presentations that can be downloaded. Topics include soil, water, riparian management, weed control, managing grazing.
- International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IFOAM Training Manual for Organic Agriculture in the Tropics: This is a very comprehensive intructor’s training manual on tropical organic production methods (available for download or purchase). Topics include organizing training courses, principles of organic agriculture, soil fertility, plant nutrition, pest disease and weed management, animal husbandry, and farm economy.
- Organic Fruits and Vegetables from the Tropics (large pdf file) This UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) publication looks at how developing countries can enhance their production and export capacities in organic agriculture but is an excellent reference for organic vegetable production.
- Toward a Sustainable Agriculture, an on-line curriculum for high school students from UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems.
- "Reap New Profits: Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranchers" : USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) PowerPoint presentation designed for agricultural educators, extension staff and other professionals who want to offer new marketing options to producers. A PowerPoint Presentation and educator’s script can be downloaded from this website or are available on CD-ROM
- Organizing a Successful Agricultural Direct Marketing Workshop is a downloadable (Adobe Acrobat) manual to instruct agricultural educators in how to set up direct marketing workshops for their farmer clients. This manual includes information from Hawaii workshops.
- "Meeting the Diverse Needs of Limited-Resource Producers" USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) bulletin for agricultural educators to connect with and improve the lives of farmers and ranchers who remain hard to reach. The bulletin provides "how-to" ideas for educators, socio-economic characteristics/barriers to working with varied audiences, proven teaching methods, successful connection strategies and success stories.
- The SARE Program (episode 9) (streaming video by USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service) gives several examples of how farmers are changing their production strategies to benefit the environment and improve their income sources. Includes footage about a rotational grazing system being used at a dairy farm, direct seeding for wheat production, a deep bedding system for swine production, and introducing and marketing new plant products in New England.
Agricultural Leadership
Agricultural Leadership Program of Hawaii is a leadership training program established to develop and support effective leaders in the agricultural industry and rural communities through a multi-disciplinary leadership training program. It provides workshops, mentoring and networking opportunities.
- ATTRA Sustainable Farming Internships and Apprenticeships
- Hawaii Organic Farmers Association HOFA Apprenticeships
- CTAHR Sustainable and Organic Farm Training (SOFT)
NEW FARMER Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Sustainable Agriculture in Hawaii New Farmer Frequently Asked Questions
- The Growing New Farmers (GNF) Project has a webpage dedicated to answering beginning farmer’s initial questions.
Finding the Niche: Case Studies of Beginning Small-Scale Farmers, University of Wisconsin-Madison. This document is also available online from the New England Small Farm Institute (downloadable Adobe PDF file).
The New American Farmer (SARE)
Western Profiles of Innovative Agricultural Marketing, available online and in print from the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, features case studies of three innovative Hawaii farmers.
- Nalo Farms: Servicing High-End Restaurants
- Love Family Farms: Kona Coffee for the Japanese Market
- The Holualoa Kona Coffee Company: Marketing Memorable Experiences and High-Quality Products
Small Farm Resources
- American Small Farm magazine
- Cornell Small Farms Program
- Growing Small Farms, North Carolina Cooperative Extension
- Oregon Small Farms, Oregon State University
- Small Farms at USDA
- Small Farm Center,
- UC Davis Small Farm Connection,
- Washington State University Small Farms Today magazine
Presentations from New Farmer Pilot Projects
- Glenn T. Sako, CES, Introduction to Plant Propagation (Big Island)
- Richard Ebesu, CES, Introduction to Integrated Pest Management (Kaua'i)
- Robert Joy, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Cover Crops (Kaua'i)
- Dr. JB Friday, CES, Growing and Using High Value Timbers (Big Island)
- Ken Love, Choosing Fruit Trees and What to do with the Fruit (Big Island, O'ahu, Kaua'i)
- Ken Love, The Fruit Parks of Japan and The Twelve Trees Project (Big Island, O'ahu, Kaua'i)
- Ken Love, Value Adding for Tropical Fruits (Big Island, O'ahu, Kaua'i)
- Stan Kawamura, DOA, Agricultural Loan Program (Kaua'i)
- George Morvis, Hawaiian Fruit Specialties, Working with Manufacturers, Simplifying the Food Chain (Kaua'i)
- Dr. Stuart T. Nakamoto, CTAHR, Adding Value to Agricultural Products (Kaua'i)
PRESENTATIONS from 12/07/2006 POLYCOM MEETING
- Glen Sako, CTAHR CES Hilo, New Farmer Training Workshop Series, Hawaii Island
- L. Robert Barber, University of Guam CES, New Farmer: Agriculture for Guam's Next Generation
- Dr. Wayne Nishijima, CTAHR, Organic Farming Academy
- Dr. Douglas L. Vincent, CTAHR, New Farmer Training Programs ~ A Midwestern Perspective
These webpages were originally generated under a grant program from Western SARE entitled "New Farmers: Choosing the Road Less Traveled" EW03-002 (2004-2006). Toward Sustainable Agriculture (downloadable .pdf)