Farm Beginnings
DRA’s Farm Beginnings Program is not currently active.
If you are an aspiring producer in South Dakota, please fill out our interest form, below, if you’d like to recieve updates from us on future opportunities!
What is the program?
Farm Beginnings is a training program taught by local farmers, ranchers and homegrowers that provides participants with the support and education needed to launch a profitable and sustainable enterprise. Beginners of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to apply and participants do not need to currently own land.
All sessions are led by local farmers, ranchers and agriculture professionals. Classes provide real world skills in…
- Whole Farm Planning
- Financial Planning
- Marketing
- Business Planning
- Connecting with Resources
- Connecting with Mentors
Additionally, students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of on-farm tours and skills sessions offered during the spring and summer, as well as engage in mentorships or apprenticeships with local producers!
Anyone interested in developing or transitioning their enterprise or home growing operation. Participants can be of any age, do not need to own land, and prospective, beginning, part-time, and full-time growers are welcome!
- Cattle, hogs, goats, sheep, poultry, and other livestock
- Dairy
- Grazing
- Vegetable and fruit production
- High tunnels
- Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and farmers markets
- Crops and hay
- Fiber production
- Specialty production like value-added foods
- Flowers and herbs
The program is closely connected to Dakota Rural Action’s Farmer Network, a group devoted to making connections between beginning and established farmers through resource sharing and education. Opportunities within the Farmer Network include access to on-farm internships/apprenticeships, farm tours and field days, land and equipment linking, and more.
DRA’s Farm Beginnings program is a member of The Farm Beginnings Collaborative, a national alliance of independent regional groups of farmers and farmer-training support organizations working together to promoted a Farm Beginnings farmer training model that is community-based and farmer-led.
For questions, comments or to request more information, please contact, Gabbi DeMarce
gabbi@dakotarural.org
