The enrollment period for the 2010-2011 term of Stateline Farm Beginnings will being June 1, 2010. 

You can downloadn the current term (2009-2010) information packet. This 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. (If you would like the application in Word format, click here.)

Download the 2009-2010 Stateline Farm Beginnings® information packet here

2010-2010 Application Deadline:  September 1, 2010 (POSTMARK) 

$150 Early Bird Discount for all applications postmarked by August 1, 2010

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

Space is limited. We allow only fifteen-twenty farm family/partnerships into the
course.
This will keep course participation intimate to
provide time for more interaction with one another and the presenters. 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. All classroom meetings are held on either Saturdays (daytime) or Thursda evening.

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 6th year in October 2010 and has produced over 90 graduates.  We are pleased to say that over 70% 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.The 2010-2011 term information and application packet will be available June 1, 2010.

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).

*   One year membership in the Upper Midwest CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training)

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 $TBD. 

The classroom sessions are offered at Pine Row Farm in Roscoe, Illinois. (The last meeting in September is 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)2010-2011 course fee TBD

Application Guidelines

* All applicants will have a phone interview prior to acceptance into the program. Only 15-20 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.