FREE MONEY for Permaculture (get paid to plant stuff)

In 2013, I received over $135,000 in grants to plant stuff on my farm.

I talk about it here: http://agriculturalinsights.com/navigating-nrcs-usda-funding-keyline-design-grant-schultz/

I give away free resources (steal my techniques) here: http://www.freemoneyforfarmers.com

Questions? I'm here all week!

Hey Grant,

Really appreciated the podcast, and all the work you've done to figure out how to work with federal bureaucracies. Is there any easily accessible document or link you could share that details how the NRCS grazing specialist values the carrying capacity gain of high density grazing? Being able to show how someone at NRCS is thinking about these things could be really helpful when dealing with extension agents where I am in North Carolina, none of whom have heard of mob grazing yet I don't think. Thanks,
Jacob

Hi Jacob,

You'd be amazed at how well versed the 'state specialists' are. Odds are, they would be super-excited to work with someone like yourself to start implementing some alternative management strategies.

Here's the MASTER LIST (North Carolina is in there, other states too)

ftp://ftp.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/cntsc/CNTSCweb/Grazing_Directory.pdf

So, assuming one signs up at the free money link, will we be signing up for a onetime info dump or a longer term mailing list sort of thing?

Great topic, Grant and something I will have to dig into. Thanks for the info!

Great interview on grants..Grant (hahah)!.. thanks for all your work an innovation! Funding is often a huge barrier for a lot of young burgeoning permaculture designers, farmers, etc. like myself.

I was in Ben's last PDC back in September, if any folks are thinking about going to this Iowa workshop.. DO IT! Ben is an excellent teacher and a wealth of knowledge.. if your developing a homestead.. I guarantee this is worth it!

Hey Grant,

Is your interview at AgInsights available to listen to? I had been listening to each podcast there since he was interviewed on Permaculture Voices Podcast. Then he started his membership program but the podcasts were available for 2 weeks without having to be a member. Now it seems everything is behind the membership wall. If it were a small amount to join I would, but 25 bucks a month is really pricey! Especially if you're not making your living as a farmer, yet.

Thanks for all you do.

Candy

Welcome Grant, your topic is timely for my situation. I have begun talks with my local NRCS to look at options for approximately 8 acres of my land in latitude 47 N. Idaho. The land in question is hydric soil bordering on wetlands that has been used for hay and horse pasture. It is slowly reverting back to a wetlands nature of native Cottonwood, Spirea, Lupine, Alder, Willow. My goals for the land are largely influenced by Holzer, Lawton, Falk. I would like to see the land converted to swales, hugelkultur, humus retention, and wildlife food plots. Furthermore, my hope is that the swales/Hugelkultur can provide dry enough soil for perennial and annual food production. The NRCS seems receptive to a potential cost-sharing partnership in these goals. But has concerns about soil disturbance with swales.
Do you have any input as I negotiate and partner with my local agency?

Candy Mills wrote:Hey Grant,
Is your interview at AgInsights available to listen to?
Candy

It is available. Click his link above and click play. I'm listening to it now, no registration or $ required.

Jerry

Key line design is exciting, as well as the EPIQ grants to restore perennial forage. We'll be working with just 8 or so acres, but have a good slope with stream at the bottom and want to retain as much of the rainwater that falls as possible, rather than letting it enter the stream and leave our property.

Grant, I'm interested in key line design for SW Wisconsin's driftless area, where we have steeper slopes than the rest of the Midwest. We'll be talking to Mark Shepard, a neighbor. Any other recommendations?

Back to free money, what programs especially relate to grazing and orchards? We won't be doing any annual crops to speak of.

Thanks, Jerry

Tyler Stark wrote:So, assuming one signs up at the free money link, will we be signing up for a onetime info dump or a longer term mailing list sort of thing?

Longer term email list. I share as new things come up. Worth it.

Jerry McIntire wrote:Key line design is exciting, as well as the EPIQ grants to restore perennial forage. We'll be working with just 8 or so acres, but have a good slope with stream at the bottom and want to retain as much of the rainwater that falls as possible, rather than letting it enter the stream and leave our property.

Grant, I'm interested in key line design for SW Wisconsin's driftless area, where we have steeper slopes than the rest of the Midwest. We'll be talking to Mark Shepard, a neighbor. Any other recommendations?

Back to free money, what programs especially relate to grazing and orchards? We won't be doing any annual crops to speak of.

Thanks, Jerry

Mark is a great local resource for you. He has the most experience in your area, by far. Last I knew, his daily consulting rate was 4x the cost of a workshop though.

Grazing and orchards via grants: I'm a fan of SARE. They're doing a lot of work with farmer-led research and grant programs on alternative farming crops and techniques.

Candy Mills wrote:Hey Grant,

Is your interview at AgInsights available to listen to? I had been listening to each podcast there since he was interviewed on Permaculture Voices Podcast. Then he started his membership program but the podcasts were available for 2 weeks without having to be a member. Now it seems everything is behind the membership wall. If it were a small amount to join I would, but 25 bucks a month is really pricey! Especially if you're not making your living as a farmer, yet.

Thanks for all you do.

Candy

Still available for free as of today: http://agriculturalinsights.com/navigating-nrcs-usda-funding-keyline-design-grant-schultz/

Jason Kootenai wrote:Welcome Grant, your topic is timely for my situation. I have begun talks with my local NRCS to look at options for approximately 8 acres of my land in latitude 47 N. Idaho. The land in question is hydric soil bordering on wetlands that has been used for hay and horse pasture. It is slowly reverting back to a wetlands nature of native Cottonwood, Spirea, Lupine, Alder, Willow. My goals for the land are largely influenced by Holzer, Lawton, Falk. I would like to see the land converted to swales, hugelkultur, humus retention, and wildlife food plots. Furthermore, my hope is that the swales/Hugelkultur can provide dry enough soil for perennial and annual food production. The NRCS seems receptive to a potential cost-sharing partnership in these goals. But has concerns about soil disturbance with swales.
Do you have any input as I negotiate and partner with my local agency?

re: soil disturbance

In Iowa, there is an EQIP line item for mulching a new seeding if there are concerns about erosion prior to plant establishment. I would also recommend a nurse crop such as winter rye be immediately broadcast to take hold of soil. It should winter-kill and not be any competition to whatever you seed swales with.

Imagine it people....again and again POSITIVE responses from a government agency when people are informed and want to practice conservation. Go DO IT!

Grant...great interview with Chris....I met Chris at Greg Judy's a few years ago....In your interview you mentioned Practical Farmers of Iowa...I subscribe to their site but our farm is in Central Illinois. Are you aware of any similar organization in Illinois? I have been unable to find any. My wife and I plan to attend your Ben Falk workshop...should be great! See you in May.

Richard Frame wrote:Grant...great interview with Chris....I met Chris at Greg Judy's a few years ago....In your interview you mentioned Practical Farmers of Iowa...I subscribe to their site but our farm is in Central Illinois. Are you aware of any similar organization in Illinois? I have been unable to find any. My wife and I plan to attend your Ben Falk workshop...should be great! See you in May.

Hi Richard, PFI has quite a few (a lot) of out-of-state members, it's not exclusive to Iowa, they even dropped Iowa from their name. So...Join! http://practicalfarmers.org/join-pfi.html

I don't know of a similar IL-only organization, but I'll let you know if I hear of one.

Hi Grant:) thanks in advance.
I have been looking into putting high tensile fence as a perimeter fence around our 26 acres. I am in Pennsylvania, on an old beef farm, and am interested in bringing beef back through silvapasture. Do you feel this may get funding, and more importantly, is there long term control they maintain over projects they fund?
Also, do they fund trees? That is something I really need!

Peter Smith wrote:Hi Grant:) thanks in advance.
I have been looking into putting high tensile fence as a perimeter fence around our 26 acres. I am in Pennsylvania, on an old beef farm, and am interested in bringing beef back through silvapasture. Do you feel this may get funding, and more importantly, is there long term control they maintain over projects they fund?
Also, do they fund trees? That is something I really need!

Each individual EQIP practice has a 'practice lifetime'. These range from 1 year to 15 years. The great thing about EQIP is there is none of the heavy-handed non-owner control that programs like CRP require.
For example, EQIP has a high tunnel initiative that pays 100% of the cost of a new 30x72 high tunnel. It has a 2-year practice length.

so:

1) Submit EQIP application and get approval
2) Build the high tunnel
3) Get reimbursed (30x72 = 2,160 sq ft - 2014 EQIP Organic Initiative Historically Underserved (farming 10 yrs or less) = $4.43/sq ft = $9,568.80)
****Get paid almost $10,000 to put up a $6,000 high tunnel****
4) Maintain practice for two years (keep high tunnel up and operating)
5) At the end of two years you can move high tunnel anywhere on your farm - or off.

Clear enough?

Yes, they fund trees (love 'em) and in most cases will fund fence if there is none existing or are adding a new livestock enterprise.

Awesome! What web site? Or just Google nrcs, equip, sare?

Here's the starting spot for EQIP http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/eqip/

Remember, EQIP is just one program among THOUSANDS of grants. Learn the ins and outs by signing up for the FREE MONEY FOR FARMERS email list here

http://freemoneyforfarmers.com

Just let me know if this is the wrong place to post this.
I am looking at the application form, it says I need to have farm records established with appropriate USDA service center agency? What is that? They don't give a link. I am just starting, I have no records.

Peter Smith wrote: Just let me know if this is the wrong place to post this.
I am looking at the application form, it says I need to have farm records established with appropriate USDA service center agency? What is that? They don't give a link. I am just starting, I have no records.

Do you own land or hold a lease on agricultural land? If yes to either of these, set up an appointment with NRCS and FSA to establish a relationship and look at what records they may have for the parcel of land you farm.

I own 26 acres. I will do that, thanks.

I just had a three hour conversation with my NRCS area manager over here in Central Iowa. I just got the exact opposite answers. EQIP was about 'fixing problems' not starting you off on the right foot. How did you do it?

Grant,
Greetings from Davenport, IA! So awesome to hear of other permaculture stuff happening in Iowa, it makes my day.

Quick question, from your experience in Iowa, are there any resources you have which are Iowa specific? I'm very interested in starting a permaculture farm/edu. center and I'm trying to get a handle on the resources out there.

On that note, do you have any experience on partnerships for land management (owner/tenant or land trusts)? If so, are you familiar with programs/grants which benefit land trusts or non-profits?

Thanks a bunch,

Chris.

Jonathan Overlin wrote:I just had a three hour conversation with my NRCS area manager over here in Central Iowa. I just got the exact opposite answers. EQIP was about 'fixing problems' not starting you off on the right foot. How did you do it?

I think it mostly has to do with approach. Don't have any details on your site, but I can't think of much conventionally farmed land in Iowa that couldn't benefit from some conservation practices...

Christopher Kerrschneider wrote:Grant,
Greetings from Davenport, IA! So awesome to hear of other permaculture stuff happening in Iowa, it makes my day.

Quick question, from your experience in Iowa, are there any resources you have which are Iowa specific? I'm very interested in starting a permaculture farm/edu. center and I'm trying to get a handle on the resources out there.

On that note, do you have any experience on partnerships for land management (owner/tenant or land trusts)? If so, are you familiar with programs/grants which benefit land trusts or non-profits?

Thanks a bunch,

Chris.

Chris, the current state of land trusts in Iowa is best an extended conversation outside the forums. Not much out there here, and only really applicable in specific situations.

Grant,

Thanks for the reply. Whats the best way to get in touch with you to get some info regarding the Iowa specific stuff. It would be great to talk with you.

Thanks
Chris

Grant,
I believe that in your interview with Chris you said that you are making some money from your forage. I assume you meant that you are selling hay. Am I correct?

Richard Frame wrote:Grant,
I believe that in your interview with Chris you said that you are making some money from your forage. I assume you meant that you are selling hay. Am I correct?

Yes, selling quite a bit of hay in short term. Building fence infrastructure is one of primary projects for 2014. We have some poultry on-site, but will be able to cycle much more fertility as fencing improves.

Hi Grant

Haven't had a chance to check out the podcast yet, but you seem a kindred soul. Thanks for spreading the info!

I've been involved with CSP, CREP, and OWEB (Oregon) grants for almost 10 years.

Some details

~$30k in federal money in that span
paid materials for fencing and cross fencing, ram pump, water distribution, hardened creek crossings, and 3500 native trees. State money paid for some erosion control / water storage / hugelculture measures

Note that when you get in these programs, you get tracked in the EWG database http://farm.ewg.org/

Cheers
Rich

Rich Blaha wrote:

paid materials for fencing and cross fencing, ram pump, water distribution, hardened creek crossings, and 3500 native trees.
Rich

Hear that folks...fed grant paid for a ram pump. Permie win!

I can show you some of these lesser-known line items if you sign up for the email list

Grant Schultz wrote:Here's the starting spot for EQIP http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/mi/programs/?cid=nrcs141p2_024538

Remember, EQIP is just one program among THOUSANDS of grants. Learn the ins and outs by signing up for the FREE MONEY FOR FARMERS email list here

http://freemoneyforfarmers.com

I entered my email information on your website yesterday. Should I be receiving a confirmation email or any information immediately?

BTW, that link is Michigan specific I think.

Peter Smith wrote:BTW, that link is Michigan specific I think.

Fixed it. Thanks.

Here's NATIONAL EQIP portal: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/eqip/

Any idea how the new farm bill changes any of these programs yet?

R Scott wrote:Any idea how the new farm bill changes any of these programs yet?

Most of the programs will probably stay the same, but will actually have funding. That has been one of NRCS's big problems. They have a line of applications, but no money. There have been some extensions to the old Farm Bill that have provided some money for short periods of time, but this will free them to actually budget stuff out.

Hi Grant. I signed up for your email list, and then promptly received an email labeled "Confirmation Message". I opened the email, and found the body was entirely blank. Is this normal?

Tyler Stark wrote:Hi Grant. I signed up for your email list, and then promptly received an email labeled "Confirmation Message". I opened the email, and found the body was entirely blank. Is this normal?

Added an auto-generated confirmation email this afternoon with no text, just added a confirmation email for clarity.

Now it reads:

"Great! You're on the FREE MONEY FOR FARMERS list!

I send out tips, tricks, and blueprints for getting grants for your farm or ranch every week or so, expect cool tips soon.

Share this page with your friends, they'll thank you!
http://freemoneyforfarmers.com"

Thanks for the info, I'm excited to look into this more. I got a chance to talk to our NRCS folks here in Vermont at the Farm Show last week and they were very encouraging about my small (10 acre) woodlands being eligible for some assistance and maybe even some $ support as I expand my homestead. I can't wait to read over ALL the resources you have posted here and on your email list.