INTERESTED IN BECOMING A FARMER?

We recommend that you consider attending an agriculture conference, a beginner farm school and/or program before deciding to go full-time into farming. You may want to ease into farming. Farm requires multiple skillsets: business and accounting, scientific processes, engineering resourcefulness and lots of manual labor.

Or if you are just curious, you may want to participate in one of many farm tours statewide or consider homesteading. We recommend visiting other farms through farm tours such as the Piedmont Farm Tour and/or our very own Davidson County Farm Tour. Consider the following options to see if farming is the lifestyle/occupation for you.

Sustainable Agriculture Conference

For 34 years, the annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference has drawn farmers, foodies, researchers, educators, and activists for a weekend celebration of innovation in local sustainable agriculture. Educational workshops and panels, inspiring talks, and bus tours by industry leaders are interspersed with social opportunities, exhibits, and regionally sourced meals.

Attendees from more than a dozen states gather each November and leave energized, connected, and inspired for a new season ahead!

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organic growers school: Farm Beginnings

Organic Growers School's farmer training Farm Beginnings® applications are open July 1st. This is a training for the next generation of farmers in the many skills required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more.

Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. We support individuals in clarifying their goals and strengths, developing agricultural skills, and growing profitable, equitable, and ecologically sound farm businesses.

Applications open July 1st - Click here to apply.

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CAROLINA FARM STEWARDSHIP ASSOCIATION

The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is a farmer-driven, membership-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps people in the Carolinas grow and eat local, organic food by advocating for fair farm and food policies, building systems that family farms need to thrive, and educating communities about local, organic agriculture.

Members can access free business consulting services for business development, food safety, organic certification, conservation activity plans and high tunnels, and an incredible network of farms and farming resources. New members ($25 only).

CEFS - NC Choices

NC Choices, an initiative of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in collaboration with NC Cooperative Extension, promotes sustainable food systems through the advancement of the local, niche, and pasture-based meat supply chain in North Carolina. NC Choices provides information, technical assistance, educational programming, and networking opportunities for farmers, extension agents, meat processors, buyers, distributors, and consumers.

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NC Farm School

North Carolina Farm School (NCFS) is a unique entrepreneurial program for new and transitioning farmers with the mission of increasing the number of successful farmers in North Carolina.

NCFS is a “learn-plan-do” program; each month the NCFS participants are expected to apply what they have learned. that month through homework assignments and a web-based business plan template.

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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AT DAVIDSON-DAVIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Davidson-Davie Community College's Sustainable Agriculture Program will launch this Fall semester 2022. For more information, please contact Aaron Brewer.

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organic growers schooL: journeyperson program

Organic Growers School's advanced farmer training, the Journeyperson Program is designed for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region. This program will give you the space and time to work on your business's scale, viability, and long-term direction while making connections that deepen peer-to-peer support.
If accepted you will be eligible for our Savings Incentive Program and the professional development funds.

Participants can use this program as a tangible step toward achieving their farm goals, and make significant contributions to the agricultural community and economy.

This program is designed to give tailored guidance and support for your farm business to answer questions of:

Scale | Market access | Land access | Risk management | Understanding cash flow | Enterprise innovation

Applications open July 1st:

NC Choices - Poultry Processing Resources

This page is intended as a one-stop shop for questions about poultry processing and the special exemptions available in North Carolina.

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Farmer in Training Program at Lomax

The Elma C. Lomax Research and Education Farm (Lomax) is a certified organic farm located in Concord, NC. Launched in 2009 by the Cabarrus County government and Cooperative Extension as a training ground for new farmers, it has since evolved into a research and education farm, managed by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA).

Through our Student Outdoor Immersive Learning at Lomax (SOILLS) program, we provide hands learning opportunities to college students, STEM activities to K-12 and high school students, business incubation to Farmers-in-Training (FiTs), as well as workshops for farmers and the general public.

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