posted 11 years ago
Regenerative Farm Enterprise Planning
With Eric Toensmeier, Rafter Sass Ferguson, and Elizabeth Ü
October 18-23, 2014
Scaling up ecological agriculture is one of the critical challenges we face in addressing climate change and the global food crisis. Integrated perennial farm businesses are a key part of the solution when planned and managed effectively; join us to learn and practice how!
This 6-day course integrates time-tested farm business planning tools with the holistic landscape planning of permaculture and cutting-edge creative financing strategies. Experienced leaders will guide participants through an intensive planning/design process, from initial visioning, through successional enterprise budgeting, to design of the farm landscape. In this dynamic course, participants will design in teams working on a shared project, with structured time for participants to integrate what they are learning with their own goals and projects. Special sessions will bring in the insight of experienced permaculture farmers. The course will be held at Shannon Farm Community in Afton, VA and is offered at a sliding scale cost of $595-$895. Early registration discounts available as well as work- trade positions. visit www.blueridgepermaculture.net for more information.
TOPICS include:
• identifying and prioritizing values and goals
• land location and capability and land use planning
• enterprise selection strategies with a focus on...
• regenerative farming practices and production systems: perennial and tree crops, managed grazing and livestock integration, and other practices
• financial modeling, record keeping, and optimising financial sustainability
• financing regenerative enterprises through community supported models, crowdfunding, and other creative methods
• start-up and long-term development strategies on US permaculture farms
• budgeting for integrated perennial and livestock systems
• market research and strategies
Participants will come away with the skills necessary to build their own regenerative enterprise scenario, and a roadmap for fleshing it out into a full farm and business plan.
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