We are now accepting applications for the 2009-2010 Stateline Farm Beginnings course.

It is with great enthusiasm that we offer this iinformation and application packet for the 2009-2010 Stateline Farm Beginnings® program. (If you would like the application in Word format, click here.) This packet of information will help you become more familiar with what the course has to offer.  Scholarships are available and we strongly encourage everyone to apply.You can download the scholarship application here.(You can see the class schedule below.)

Application Deadline:  September 1, 2009 (POSTMARK) 

$150 Early Bird Discount for all applications postmarked by August 1, 2009 EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT DEADLINE HAS PASSED.

Course Fee: $1500 (Flexible payment plan and scholarships are available). 

Space is limited. We allow only fifteen farmer applicants into the
course (a farmer applicant includes your partner, wife or husband).
This will keep course participation to a maximum of thirty people and
provide time for more interaction with one another and the guest
speakers.

If you are unable to pay the full course fee, we encourage you to apply for a  scholarship. 

Stateline Farm Beginnings® is aimed at both beginning and transitioning farmers who want to enter sustainable agriculture.   It is a farmer led training program where you will learn and develop your own farm vision and whole farm plan with guidance from successful sustainable agriculture growers from our region. Stateline Farm Beginnings® is a project of the farmers in the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) which is coordinated and administered by Angelic Organics Learning Center. CRAFT farmers have worked collaboratively for nearly ten years to offer farmer-led training to prospective farmers through field days, workshops, and mentoring.  Stateline Farm Beginnings® will be entering its 5th year in October 2009 and has produced 90 graduates.  We are pleased to say that over 60% of our graduates are currently farming!

The information in this packet provides you with a draft program schedule for Stateline Farm Beginnings, graduate profiles, our CRAFT brochure, a list of the 2009 CRAFT field day workshops, the Land Stewardship Project Farm Beginnings® fact sheet, and an application form.

When you enroll in Stateline Farm Beginnings®, you enter a farmer-led learning environment that includes:

*   Winter coursework (9 sessions from October to March)

*   Approximately 10 CRAFT Field Day Workshops at regional farms (April to October)

*   Mentoring by successful sustainable agriculture farmers (either via internships, employment, or technical assistance arrangements).

This is a unique opportunity to learn directly from successful farmers. There are no college courses that will prepare you for starting or transitioning your farm. I hope you will join us this fall and build a solid foundation for your farm dream.

The course fee covers the 42 hours of class time, course supplies
(including books and course binder), a one year membership in CRAFT
(which includes on-farm field day workshops and informal day visits to
participating farms), a one-on-one mentoring stipend (paid to your
prospective mentor) and a $100 production skills workshop stipend.
The actual cost of the course is more than $3750, but through the
generous support of our funding partners we are currently able to offer
the course to students for $1500. 

Stateline Farm Beginnings® course fee includes 42 hours of class time, course supplies
(including books and course binder), a one year membership in CRAFT
(which includes on-farm field day workshops and informal day visits to
participating farms), a one-on-one mentoring stipend (paid to your
prospective mentor) and a $100 production skills workshop stipend.

The 2009-2010 business planning sessions (October-March) will be offered at Pine Row Farm in Roscoe, Illinois. (The last meeting in September will be held at Angelic Organics Learning Center.) Field day workshops (April-October) are held at sustainable farms across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

2009-2010 Course Fee: $1,500, including $100 registration fee (scholarships are available and we encourage everyone to apply)

Application Guidelines

* All applicants will have a phone interview prior to acceptance into the program. Only 15 spaces are available.
* The $100 registration fee will be non-refundable upon acceptance into the program and will be credited toward tuition.
* Up to two people in the same family or business can attend Stateline Farm Beginnings® for each accepted application.
* Scholarship applications are due by the published application deadline.

COURSE SCHEDULE:

2009

Saturday, October 24 – 10:00am-4:00pm   
Saturday, November 7 – 10:00am-4:00pm   
Saturday, November 21 – 10:00am-4:00pm
Thursday, December 3 – 6:00-9:00pm   
Thursday, December 17 – 6:00-9:00pm   

2010

Saturday, January 9 – 10:00am-4:00pm
Thursday, January 21 – 6:00-9:00pm
Saturday, February 6 – 10:00am-4:00pm
Thursday, February 18 – 6:00-9:00pm
Saturday, September 11 – TBA
SNOW DATES (if needed):  Thurs., March 4 – 6:00-9:00pm or Sat., March 6 - 10:00am - 4:00pm

For more information, contact Sheri Doyel, Program Director, at 815.389.8455 or Joanne Wiedemann-Wolf, Program Administrative Assistant at craft@learngrowconnect.org.

All Farm Beginnings® material was developed by the Land Stewardship Project based on the experiences of their farmer members. It is used by permission under license. To learn more, visit www.landstewardshipproject.org. Stateline Farm Beginnings® adapts these original materials based on the experiences of its CRAFT member farmers.