HMI’s Beginning Women Farmer Training Program in Connecticut began in October 2012 and ran through May of 2013. This program was part of HMI’s Beginning Women Farmer Program funded by the USDA/NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. 15 women were accepted into the program for the 2012-2013 program year and 11 completed the program successfully. The State Coordinator was Sherry Simpson working with Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association. Program mentors were Elysa Bryant, Allyson Angelini, and Christine Farrugia.
The data below demonstrates that a high level of knowledge and attitude change occurred and that the women completed or modified numerous farm plans (actual behavior change) which resulted in many benefits. Most participants experienced increased confidence in key farm/ranch management practices (81-100% participants) for such practices as developing a whole farm goal, communicating with workers, managing time, identifying logjams, pricing products, prioritizing expenses, and developing plans or implementing production in such areas as finances, business, land planning, and grazing. Participant behavior change was in the 20-90% range with 80% completing a whole farm goal, 70% a financial plan, and 60% a marketing plan.
There was an 84% satisfaction rating for the program mentors and a 92% satisfaction rating for the state coordinator. 83% or more of the participants noted knowledge change in all sessions. That knowledge change varied depending on content of session with a 39-128% increase in knowledge change for key topics. Overall satisfaction of the program was 88%.
Participant Demographic Information
- The average years of farming was 2 years (range: 0 – 5 years)
- The average acres farmed was 2 acres under production (range:. 0 – 4 acres)
- The total customers of all participants was 251
Testimonials |
“We got to see how others do things and then implement new ideas into my farm.” |
“We learned new methods, had a sounding board, and expanded our network of information.” |
“I liked having a strong community of other women working on solving problems, living by their values to have productive farms.” |
“Everyone I met throughout the session has proven to be both an inspiration and a valuable resource for information.” |
Knowledge Change Summary Per Session |
|||
Course |
Average % of Knowledge Change |
% Participants Experiencing Knowledge Change |
|
Session One – Goal Setting | |||
Defining Effective Management Team |
78% |
100% |
|
Inventory Farm Resources |
78% |
100% |
|
Develop a Whole Farm Goal |
102% |
100% |
|
Define What You Are Managing Towards |
72% |
100% |
|
Identify Needed Farm Systems and Protocols |
105% |
92% |
|
Integrate Social, Economic, and Environmental Factors into Decision-Making |
59% |
77% |
|
Session Summary |
|
100% |
|
Session Two – Time Management | |||
Ability to Make Complex On-Farm Decisions |
71% |
100% |
|
Effectively Manage Time on Your Farm |
87% |
100% |
|
Assess How Time is Spent on Farm |
71% |
88% |
|
Understanding Seasonal Time Demands/Flows |
85% |
88% |
|
Session Summary |
|
100% |
|
Session Three – Financial Planning I | |||
Determining Viable Profitable Enterprises for Your Farm |
87% |
86% |
|
Identifying Logjams and Adverse Factors on Farm |
113% |
86% |
|
Ability to Develop Balance Sheet |
61% |
71% |
|
How to Increase Farm Net Worth |
71% |
71% |
|
Determining Your Farm’s Projected Revenue |
73% |
71% |
|
Session Summary |
|
86% |
|
Session Four – Financial Planning II |
|
|
|
Delineating Farm Expense Categories |
71% |
100% |
|
Assessing Farm Cash Flow |
44% |
92% |
|
Monitoring Your Financial Plan |
55% |
92% |
|
Skills in Developing Whole Farm Financial Plan |
63% |
85% |
|
Getting Profit You Need from Your Farm |
47% |
85% |
|
Prioritizing and Cutting Farm Expenses to Guide Reinvestment |
68% |
85% |
|
Session Summary |
|
100% |
|
Session Five – Marketing |
|
||
Effectively Promote Products and Services |
128% |
100% |
|
Using Whole Farm Goal and Financial Plan to Develop Marketing Plan |
121% |
100% |
|
Marketing Outreach Towards Your Whole Farm Goal |
105% |
100% |
|
Profitably Price Products and Services |
95% |
100% |
|
How to Develop a Marketing Plan |
95% |
100% |
|
Understanding Your Competition |
73% |
100% |
|
Session Summary |
|
100% |
|
Session Six – Business Planning | |||
Attitudes Towards Value of Having a Business Plan to Guide Farm |
59% |
100% |
|
Knowledge of Resources for Developing Strategic Plan for Farm |
52% |
92% |
|
Ability to Develop a Business Plan for Farm |
47% |
92% |
|
Ability to Use Holistic Goal to Guide Business Strategic Plan |
58% |
92% |
|
Ability to Use Financial Plan to Determine Viable Markets for Farm |
39% |
83% |
|
Ability to Implement Systems and Projects to Move Towards Whole Farm Goal |
44% |
83% |
|
Session Summary |
|
100% |
|
Session Seven – Leadership and Communication | |||
Awareness of Communication Patterns on Farm |
60% |
80% |
|
Effective Communication Tools for Farm |
60% |
80% |
|
Conflict Resolution Skills for Farm |
64% |
80% |
|
Incorporating Diverse Learning Styles toward More Effective Leadership and Communication |
77% |
80% |
|
Understanding Diverse Ways People Seek Recognition and Affirmation |
69% |
80% |
|
Sense of Yourself as a Leader |
53% |
60% |
|
Using Whole Farm Goal to Guide Communication on Farm |
53% |
60% |
|
Session Summary |
|
100% |
|
Session Eight – Land Planning | |||
How to Incorporate Social/Legal/Contractual into Land Planning |
110% |
89% |
|
Assess Management Considerations to Guide Land Planning |
105% |
100% |
|
How to Incorporate Natural Resource Issues into Land Planning |
105% |
89% |
|
Prioritize Land and Infrastructure Development/Investments |
100% |
100% |
|
Design Strategies to Build Resilient, Diversified Farms |
100% |
100% |
|
How Permaculture Fits into Holistic Land Planning |
86% |
78% |
|
Session Summary |
|
100% |
|
Session Nine – Grazing | |||
Value of Grazing Planning |
100% |
100% |
|
How to Determine Grazing Periods |
100% |
100% |
|
How to Assess Recovery Periods |
118% |
83% |
|
How to Assess Quantity of Forage in Pasture |
108% |
83% |
|
How to Improve Land Health with Livestock |
79% |
83% |
|
How to Determine Number of Animals Your Pasture Can Support |
82% |
83% |
|
How to Determine the Number of Paddocks |
90% |
83% |
|
Session Summary |
|
100% |
|
Session Ten – Soil Fertility | |||
Importance of Improving Soil Fertility Sustainably |
69% |
83% |
|
Value of Organic Matter in Soils |
50% |
83% |
|
Benefits of a Covered Soil |
47% |
83% |
|
Benefits of Biodiversity |
47% |
83% |
|
Understanding Eco-system Processes on Your Farm |
69% |
83% |
|
Indicators of a Healthy Farm Eco-System |
69% |
83% |
|
Ability to Monitor Farm Eco-System Health |
80% |
83% |
|
Session Summary |
|
83% |
Increased Confidence as a Result of Program |
|
Confidence In. . . |
% of participants |
Human Resource Management | |
Manage Your Time on Your Farm |
100% |
Make Complex Decisions on Your Farm |
100% |
Communicating with Decision Makers |
100% |
Communicating with Farm Workers |
100% |
Providing Recognition for Farm Workers |
100% |
Providing Leadership on Your Farm |
100% |
Developing Written Whole Farm Goal |
81% |
Using Testing Questions for On-Farm Decisions |
75% |
Implementing Important Strategic Systems and Projects |
75% |
Identifying Systems and Protocols for your Farm |
69% |
Delineating Farm Resources for Management |
50% |
Building an Effective Management Team |
50% |
Financial Management | |
Assessing Your Competition to Understand Your Farm’s Strengths |
100% |
Getting Profit You Need From Your Farm |
92% |
Prioritizing Cutting Farm Expenses to Guide Re-investment |
92% |
Identifying Resources to Assist You in Developing a Business/Strategic Plan |
92% |
Determining Weak Link in Farm Enterprises |
92% |
Promoting Your Farm Products |
89% |
Developing a Marketing Plan that Meets Your Farm’s Needs and Goals |
89% |
Ability to Identify Logjam/Adverse Factors |
86% |
Developing a Business/Strategic Plan |
83% |
Identifying Cash Flow Issues on Farm |
77% |
Monitoring Your Farm Financial Plan |
77% |
Determine Your Farm’s Net Worth |
71% |
Increase Your Farm’s Net Worth |
71% |
Determine Viable Profitable Enterprises |
71% |
Pricing Your Farm Products |
44% |
Determine Your Farm’s Projected Revenue |
43% |
Natural Resource Management | |
Ability to Prioritize Land/Infrastructure Improvements on Farm |
100% |
Ability to Incorporate Natural Resource Issues into Land Planning |
100% |
Ability to Incorporate Social/Legal Considerations into Land Planning |
100% |
Assessing Quantity of Forage and Pasture |
83% |
Monitoring Your Farm’s Eco-System Health |
83% |
Improving Eco-System Health on Your Farm |
83% |
Ability as a Grazer |
83% |
Building Organic Matter in Your Soils |
83% |
Assessing Recovery Periods |
67% |
Determining the Number of Animals Your Land Can Support for Grazing |
50% |
|
|
Top Intended Behavior Changes as a Result of Program |
% of participants |
Develop a Whole Farm Goal |
100% |
Implement Time Management Tools or Processes |
100% |
Complete or Modify a Marketing Plan |
100% |
Complete or Modify a Financial Plan |
100% |
Conduct Biological Monitoring on Farm |
100% |
Complete or Modify Written Land Plan |
100% |
Change Marketing Practices |
89% |
Change Record-Keeping |
86% |
Enter Financial Data Regularly |
77% |
Using Testing Questions |
75% |
Change Management Practices |
73% |
Change Enterprise Assessment |
71% |
Monitor Financial Plan |
69% |
Prioritize and Cut Expenses |
69% |
Strategically Reinvest in Farm |
46% |
Complete or Modify a Business Plan |
75% |
Change Business Planning Practices |
67% |
Change Leadership Practices |
60% |
Change Land Management Practices |
89% |
Complete or Modify Written Grazing Plan |
67% |
Change Grazing Practices |
67% |
Change Eco-System Health Practices |
67% |
Plans Completed or Action Taken as Result of Program |
% of participants |
Forge Relationships That Positively Impacted You |
90% |
Holistic Goal/Whole Farm Plan |
80% |
Financial Plan |
70% |
Marketing Plan |
60% |
Business Plan |
40% |
Grazing Plan |
40% |
Biological Monitoring |
30% |
Land Plan |
20% |
Top Post-Program Outcome Changes |
|
Topic |
% Participants Experiencing Change |
Increased Satisfaction with Time Management |
100% |
Increased Satisfaction with Ability to Determine Needed Profit |
100% |
Increased Satisfaction with Ability to Make Complex Decisions |
100% |
Increased Satisfaction with Quality of Life |
83% |
Increased Satisfaction with Communication |
80% |
Session Satisfaction |
|
Session |
Class Percent rated good or excellent |
Session One—Whole Farm Goal |
94% |
Session Two—Time Management and Decision Testing |
100% |
Session Three—Financial Planning Overview |
100% |
Session Four—Enterprise Analysis |
85% |
Session Five—Market Planning |
100% |
Session Six—Business Planning |
91% |
Session Seven—Leadership & Communication |
100% |
Session Eight—Land Planning |
100% |
Session Nine—Grazing Planning |
100% |
Session Ten—Soil Fertility |
100% |
Top Post-Program Impacts |
|
Impact | Percent of Participants |
Human Resource Management |
|
Clearer sense of what your farm is managing towards |
90% |
Better Ability to Determine Resources Available to You |
80% |
More Efficient Use of Resources |
80% |
Improved Communications on the Farm |
60% |
Improved Decision Making |
80% |
New Policies and Systems Implemented |
80% |
Better Relationships |
60% |
Increased Efficiency of Farm Chores as a Result of Land Planning |
40% |
Less Stress for Farmers |
30% |
Financial Management | |
Improved Ability to Articulate Goals and Objectives of Business to Others |
80% |
Improved Understanding of your Market and How Your Business Fits In |
70% |
Clearer Sense of How Your Business Is Projected to Grow in Future Years |
60% |
Ability to Identify Business Challenges from Previous Years |
50% |
Strategies for More Effective Reinvestment in the Business |
50% |
New or Improved Record Keeping Systems |
50% |
Enhanced Understanding of Your Farm Finances |
50% |
Changes in Farm Enterprises |
50% |
Changes in How Your Prioritize Expenses |
50% |
Reduced Farm Expenses |
50% |
Prioritized investments |
50% |
Improved ability to determine most effective enterprises |
50% |
New Business Systems (Improved Understanding of your Market and How Your Business Fits into These) |
40% |
Greater efficiencies realized |
40% |
Improved ability to discern most appropriate market channels |
40% |
Improved ability to effectively market products |
40% |
New ways of displaying or packaging product |
30% |
New marketing methods you have employed |
30% |
Improved ability to receive desired price for your products/services |
30% |
Changes in the prices you are getting for your products or services. |
30% |
Increased Farm Profits |
20% |
Increased Net Worth |
20% |
Enrollment in Government Programs to Support the Business |
20% |
Access to New Capital Including Private or Government Loans |
20% |
Natural Resource Management | |
Improved Ability to Prioritize Land Planning Investments |
50% |
Improved Ability to Incorporate Social, Environmental, and Financial into Your Land Plan |
40% |
Proved Profitability through Your Land Plan |
30% |
Enhanced Production as a Result of Land Planning |
30% |
Improved Understanding of Your Farm’s Eco-System |
30% |
Less Stress for Animals |
30% |
Implementation of Specific Management Practices to Remediate an Environmental Issue |
30% |
Improved Understanding of Your Forage Composition |
30% |
Improved Herd Health |
30% |
Improved Environmental Conditions as a Result of Land Planning |
20% |
Improved Environmental Conditions |
20% |
Improved Ability to Manage Animals |
20% |
Longer Grazing Seasons |
20% |
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