*Register for the whole term or choose individual events.  

**All events are recorded to allow participants to watch on their own time. Recordings will be made available on the course platform (Moodle) within 48 hours of the event.

November 1st, 9:30am – 11:00am: Holistic Farm Design

Are you wanting to start a farm business but are not sure where to start? This workshop will cover the bigger picture questions surrounding the development of a whole farm plan. Where are you now and where are you headed? How will an agricultural business fit with the rest of your life and in your community?  What will be your enterprise of focus and how do you determine the scale of your business? These questions, your questions and more will be discussed. 

Speakers: David Alexander, Everdale Farm with guest farmer Carl Leslie

November 1st, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Planning for Production

Having a product to sell is the first step in running an agricultural business.  Learn the steps needed and tools available to begin developing a production plan.  Learn about different models and scales of production supports and find out what will work best for your business.

Speakers: David Alexander, Everdale Farm with guest farmer TBA

November 3rd, 9:30am – 11:00am: Financing your Farm

Financing is a major barrier to many new farmers.  This panel will provide an overview of some of the different types of financing options and programs for new farmers and the requirements for them.  There will also be an opportunity to ask questions of the representatives from different financing institutions and organizations (such as Fair Finance Fund and Alterna).

Speakers: Sally Miller, Fair Finance Fund

November 3rd, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: What are co-ops and what does a farm coop look like?

Co-ops are collectively-owned and democratically-run businesses that put people and planet over profits.  Join our two speakers as we learn about different types of co-ops and what being part of a farm coop can look like.

Speakers: Christine Clarke, Freedom Dreams Co-operative Education & TBA

November 6th, 9:30am – 11:00am: Marketing and Distribution

How do you create a successful marketing campaign for your business? This workshop will discuss how you conduct market research, how you price your product and effectively promote it, and how you evaluate market opportunities and possibilities.  We will also be looking at distributions and the various models for getting your product to the consumer.

Speakers: David Alexander, Everdale Farm with guest farmer TBA

November 6th, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Recordkeeping

Small businesses have an incredible amount of data to track. Join us for this half day workshop where we will discuss a variety of methods and tools for recordkeeping that can be used in a wide range of applications for farms of different scales. 

Speakers: David Alexander, Everdale Farm with guest farmer TBA

November 8th, 9:30am – 11:00am: An Introduction to Human Resources for Small-scale Farm Operations

What makes for a good farm employer? This webinar will provide an overview of: a) Hiring and incentives; b) HR fundamentals; c) Interpersonal dynamics, training, and retention; and d) Planning, task management, and delegation.

Speaker: Brian Tammi, Paradise Fields Farm

November 8th, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Meeting Small Business Requirements on the Farm

How do you ensure you are doing everything you need to be doing as a business?  Are you registered? Are you taking advantage of everything you should be? Is it better to be a sole proprietorship or to incorporate? Kristel Manes from the Guelph-Wellington Business Centre will help participants understand what they should be doing in order to meet all requirements and ensure best practices.

Speakers: Kristel Manes, Executive Director of the Guelph-Wellington Business Centre and Tony Morris

November 13th, 9:30am – 11:00am: Finances and Budgets

This workshop will focus on the key financial information that every small business owner should know. We will move from terminology into different ways of organizing your business monetary information.

Speaker: David Alexander, Everdale with guest farmer Josh Noiseau

November 13th, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Assembling your Business Plan

A business plan is an essential tool in communicating your farm business’ needs, goals and challenges and is often used to secure financing, make sound decisions, and keep your plans on track. This workshop will provide a business plan outline and provide tips and ideas about how best to incorporate farm-specific components. 

Speaker: David Alexander, Everdale Farm with guest farmer TBA

November 15th, 9:30am – 11:00am: Intro to Organic Certification – Panel Discussion

Are you considering organic certification for your farm or farm business? Join these expert panelists as they answer questions such as what is involved in organic certification, what are the differences between animal and vegetable certification, how does certification benefit farmers, and much more!

Speakers: TBA

November 15th, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Land access panel discussion

One of the top barriers for new farmers is access to land.  Join three panelists as they share their stories and ideas around innovative land access models.  They will also discuss organizations and supports that could be helpful in your own land access journey. 

Speakers: TBA

Full program details available here  >