Certificate Program
FSA Approved
Scholarships Available
Harness the Power of Holistic Management
Meet the New Face of Agriculture
January 24, 2018 – May 16, 2018
“There is hope for all of us! I can make this happen.” – former program participant
- Only $700 for this 10 Session Certificate Course
- 2nd Person From Same Farm Only $300
- Money Back Guarantee
- Payment Plan Available
- Scholarships Available
- FSA Training Credit Approved
- Limited Spots – Register Today!
Our Beginning Farmer Program in New York is open to new and seasoned farmers/ranchers/land managers who want to learn how to holistically manage their business.
Program graduates will walk away with the network, skills and confidence needed to build successful, sustainable agricultural enterprises, as well as a Certificate of successful completion. Our Holistic Management curriculum focuses on business planning skills, time management, soil fertility management, and profitable sustainable livestock and crop farming practices.
The Program
Classroom learning complements on-the-land exercises in our Beginning Farmer Training Program. There will be time in class to network with others and get feedback on class assignments.
Participants will develop a whole farm goal, a draft business plan, as well as both financial and marketing plans while learning how to improving time management, leadership, and communication skills. You will receive a certificate for successful completion of this course.
Our course includes 60 hours of training across ten sessions and, due to its popularity, we encourage you to register early.
HMI is pleased to announce that this program qualifies for FSA Borrower Training Credit in New York. Find out More.
Agenda and Locations
Our ten-day course is taught over approximately 5 months, meeting on Wednesdays from 9:30 am to 4 pm. The first 7 classes meet at Hudson Valley Farm Hub, 1875 Hurley Mountain Rd, Hurley, NY 12443. The final 3 classes will be at nearby farms for interactive on-the-land learning.
Jan 24: Intro to Holistic Management, Creating Your Holistic Goal
Create a Whole Farm Inventory to better understand the “Whole Under Management” and draft a Holistic Goal for the farm which will guide future decisions
Jan 31: Time Management, Testing Decisions
Create a Time Management Plan to be sure all the tasks for every enterprise can happen without crowding and overlap. Learn to test decisions towards the Holistic Goal to minimize unintended consequences.
Feb 7: Financial Planning 1
Create a Holistic Financial Plan for the farm, analyze each enterprise and the month-to-month cash flow, and learn how to plan for profit.
Feb 21: Financial Planning 2
Create a Holistic Financial Plan for the farm, analyze each enterprise and the month-to-month cash flow, and learn how to plan for profit.
March 7: Business Planning
Create a Business Plan that helps focus the operation and can be used for borrowing and seeking investment
March 21: Marketing
Learn different marketing strategies and create a Marketing Plan that supports the Holistic Goal.
April 4: Leadership and Communication
Learn to communicate better with others, build an effective management team and become a better leader.
April 18: Land Planning
Learn how to create landscapes and infrastructure for maximum ease and productivity; create a Holistic Land Plan and learn how to implement it in conjunction with the financial plan.
May 2: Grazing
Discover how animals impact the land and how to maximize positive effects by creating a Holistic Grazing Plan.
May 16: Soil Health
Learn about Ecosystem Processes and the effect different tools have depending on the climate. Learn to read the land and create a Biological Monitoring Plan that provides information for better decision making.
Registration
Cost for the entire 10 session Certificate program is only $700. Cost for a 2nd registrant from the same farm is discounted to only $300. A payment plan for $749 in 3 payment installations is available as well.
Full and Partial Scholarships are available based on financial need and suitability for the class. Please be detailed and specific on your Scholarship Application and email to [email protected]
Space in this program is limited, so register early!
Scholarship Application Deadline: January 10, 2018
Registration Application Deadline: January 19, 2018
We ask that you bring your lunch to each day of training as meals will not be provided.
Money Back Guarantee
HMI stands behind our training programs. If you participate fully in this training program by attending all sessions and completing all assignments satisfactorily, and if you are not completely satisfied within 10 days of program completion, we will refund your registration fees.
Instructors
Our course instructors are Holistic Management Certified Educators and Whole Farm Trainers. Many of them farm themselves, and all have a proven track record teaching practical skills you can really use. You’ll find them to be knowledgeable, accessible and approachable. All Certified Educators go through a rigorous training program and are dedicated to maintaining the highest professional standards.
Sarah Williford, Holistic Management Certified Educator in Training
Sarah operates a small vegetable farm in Walton, New York. She participated in HMI’s Beginning Women Farmers program, eventually serving as the program’s New York State Coordinator. Sarah is currently completing her Certified Educator training. Through her experience with the Beginning Women Farmer’s program, Sarah came to believe deeply in the practice of Holistic Management as a tool for new and small farmers to succeed. She now sits on the HMI Board of Directors in order to participate more deeply in the workings of the organization.
Phil Metzger, Consultant and Holistic Management Certified Educator
Phil Metzger is a farm & natural resources development consultant who lives in Norwich, NY. Previously he served as a conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for 31 years. A certified educator in Holistic Management, he has practiced and taught HM/Whole Farm Planning for almost 15 years. Phil has extensive experience working with an array of farm, business, and organization types & sizes and instructs on various topics including: farm, personal, and organizational goal setting, improved decision making, financial planning, land & infrastructure planning and biological monitoring. He currently serves on several Cornell University farm profit-teams assisting farmers navigating expansion while enhancing profitability. Phil teaches extensively for Holistic Management International and the Northeast Beginning Farmer Network as well as for local agencies. Phil also provides consulting services to private clients.
Elizabeth Marks, Biologist for USDA NRCS and Holistic Management Certified Educator
Elizabeth Marks serves as a biologist for the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) in the Hudson Valley (New York). A certified Holistic Management educator since 2013 she works with landowners to improve soil health and biological diversity on their farm or forest. In addition she is an instructor for NY’s Beginning Women Farmer Program and has taught workshops on HM principles. Elizabeth received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Mount Holyoke College. She lives in Chatham in a net-zero, energy efficient home she designed herself.
Erica Frenay, Owner of Shelterbelt Farm and Holistic Management Certified Educator
Shelterbelt Farm is a a small-but-growing business in its 4th year, producing pasture-raised poultry and pork, grass-fed lamb, and raw honey just southeast of Ithaca, NY. Erica plans to add winter greens and grass-fed beef in the near future, and has found Holistic Management to be a key tool for all aspects of her farm, from basic decision-making to financial and grazing planning. Erica also works part-time as the coordinator of the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project out of the Cornell Small Farms Program. She completed certification as an educator of Holistic Management 9 years ago, and occasionally teaches as part of the Northeast Beginning Women Farmers Program.
Crystal Stewart – Holistic Management Whole Farm Trainer
Crystal Stewart has long been interested in commercial and consumer horticulture. She completed both her bachelor and master degrees at the University of Wisconsin. During her studies, she worked in the Department of Horticulture as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and as a Research Associate. After graduating, Crystal became a Regional Extension Educator with the South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension providing horticulture support. She joined Cornell Cooperative Extension in 2007 as the horticulture and agriculture educator in Fulton and Montgomery Counties. Today, Crystal’s areas of emphasis include organic horticulture, small and beginning farmers assistance, and basic farm business management.
What Students Had to Say About the
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Training They Received:
“Being involved with this program has been significant for me — It’s given me a completely new approach to planning for my own land and farming aspirations.” – Jessie Schmidt, First Branch Farm
“Thank you so much for your HMI program! I will never be the same. My heart has found “my place”. These tools gained have totally enhanced my life and my small farm to be sustainable. I can hardly wait to see what happens on this adventure.” – Joanna Lewis Goldman, The Farmer’s Daughter
Thank you to the generous support of our Sponsors for helping to make this program possible:
Sponsor This Series
Our Beginning Farmers and Ranchers program offers organizations, agencies and businesses a great opportunity to network with farmers, ranchers and consumers interested in sustainable agricultural ideas, products and services. We offer a variety of affordable Sponsorship Opportunities to connect you with our community. Please email Stephanie von Ancken at [email protected] for more information.
