Beginning Women Farmer

CISA and Holistic Management International (HMI) have teamed up to offer a workshop series specifically aimed at women farmers. The Whole Farm Planning series is a chance for women who have been farming for less than ten years to learn from other women farmers and experienced mentors.The program consists of one-on-one mentorships, on-farm field days, business planning workshops, and round-table discussions with a network of women farmers to share concerns and successes. Trainers will lay out each aspect of farm planning, from creating a business plan to financial management, in order to cultivate a holistic understanding of farming.

This is a 10-workshop series that has 6 sessions held in the winter months and 4 farm tour sessions in spring and early summer. The first class is expected to begin the end of October. Dates, times and locations for the workshops are to be decided. Participants must attend all 10 sessions and the class size is limited to fifteen attendees.

2010 and 2011 participants had this to say:

“As a very small, organic market farmer I was looking to augment my knowledge in a number of areas related to my farm business – financial planning, farm planning and business strategic planning. Working with the women farmer group provided a number of groundbreaking opportunities and resources…The course material and instruction were both inspiring and extremely useful. Having taken many other ag business classes – Whole Farm Planning’s approach and high caliber of instruction was refreshing. The most amazing part of the process was meeting and visiting other women farmers. The networking and learning that was facilitated by this process was priceless.”
-Barbara Link, Agraria Farm

“The class was great, I really enjoyed it and learned a lot. As we plan the next phase of our farm we will use the test questions.” – Maribeth Ritchie, Sangha Farm

If you’re interested in learning more or signing up for this program, contact Devon at 413-665-7100. The enrollment form is available now on CISA’s website. The application deadline is September 23rd.

Whole Farm Planning Series 2011-2012
CISA is a nationally recognized community organization comprised of farmers, consumers, and professionals working together to strengthen local agriculture by building connections between farmers and the community.  Founded in 1993, CISA runs a number of innovative programs, including Senior FarmShare, the Pioneer Valley Women in Agriculture Network, and the “Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown”® public awareness campaign.

Learn more about CISA at www.buylocalfood.org or call 413-665-7100.

Contact: Devon Whitney-Deal, CISA
(413) 665-7100
devon@buylocalfood.org