Small Farms

Small Farms

Colorado lost more than 1 million acres of farm land from 1997 -2002. As markets vary and farm land continues to be sold to development, the urgency to help farmers stay on the land increases. The USDA National Commission on Small Farms defines small farms as "farms with less than $250,000 gross receipts annually on which day-to-day labor and management are provided by the farmer and/or farm family that owns the production or owns, or leases, the productive assets...[these have an average] net cash income of only $23,159...over 80% of a farmers gross sales are absorbed by farming expenses."

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Subscribe to the Small Farms listserv at CSU select Small_Farms from the list and fill out the form

This listserv is intended to connect, support, and promote small farms in Colorado with news, educational outreach, and production and marketing related info. It also is unmoderated, meaning that anyone subscribed to it can send emails to everyone on the list, providing a forum for discussion of small farms issues. SINCE THIS IS A CSU LISTSERV, NO COMMERCIAL EMAILS PLEASE.

Boulder County Small Farm listserv - boco_small_farms@colostate.edu - similar to small_farms@colostate.edu but specifically for Boulder County (some duplicate postings are possible on both). Email Adrian Card and request subscription

Colorado Building Farmers The Western Center for Risk Management Education - Washington State University Extension

The Colorado Building Farmers program builds farm community and farmer capacity through classroom and experiential learning for beginning farmers (0 – 10 yrs exp). The Market Farm Track is a series of 8 evening classes designed to help New Farmers explore farming as a business and provide Intermediate and Experienced Farmers with tools and ideas to refine and enhance their business management, production, and marketing skills. The mentorship program provides on-demand experiential learning to beginning farmers from experienced market farmers.

This material is based upon work supported by USDA/CSREES under Award Number 2007-49200-03892.

NEW 2010 Boulder County Building Farmers Market Farm Mentorship - brochure - application - due Jan 22, 2010

2009 Boulder County Building Farmers Program - Market Farm Track

Brochure - New Farmer Application - Intermediate/Experienced Farmer Application - Registration

Applications and registration form are .doc files and are set up as forms. Type into the form and email to submit or print and mail. Application, registration, and payment are due Monday, August 31

2008 Market Farm Mentorship Program

Brochure - Mid season survey

2008 Market Farm Mentorship Final Survey

Exploring a Market Farm Business

Factsheet with questions and resources for those interested in starting a Market Farm

Business Planning Resources

“Building a Sustainable Business” entire publication: http://www.sare.org/publications/all_pubs.htm; BSB sections found at: http://www.misa.umn.edu/vd/bizplan.html

Ag Plan - online business plan tool - https://www.agplan.umn.edu/ and register for Ag Plan and select an "Ag -Value Added" template

2009 Colorado Community Supported Agriculture Survey

Summary of Survey

Boulder County Farmer to Chef Program

Results of Online Survey of 2007 program

Colorado Small Farm Classifieds

Specifications - Submission Form - Submissions due the end of Sept, Dec, March, and June for publication in the following quarter

NEW Winter 2010

Custom Small Farm Operators for Boulder County Area

2007 Custom Operators listing - working to build a listing of people with tractors and implements to do work for hire on small farms in the area. Please email acard@co.boulder.co.us if you would like to be added to this list.

USDA

USDA National Commission on Small Farms Report, "A Time to Act"

USDA Small Farms Program

Colorado Natural Resources Conservation Service

Colorado Department of Agriculture

CDA Organic Certification Program

University

UC Davis Small Farms Center

CSU Specialty Crops Program

Sustaining Agriculture in Colorado

Boulder County Extension 2007 Small Farm Programming Survey

This survey was distributed over the Boulder County Extension Small Farm Interest email list, comprised mostly of producers engaged in direct marketing using an online survey service, surveymonkey.com. Some text data that respondents typed into this survey is not visible on this summary version from surveymonkey.com

2007 BOCO Extension Small Farm Survey

Boulder County Parks and Open Space Ag Small Farm Committee

October 4, 2005 Meeting Minutes

November 3, 2005 Meeting - Press Release - Flyer - Meeting Minutes

November 11 Tour - Tour minutes

Maps Of Properties: Peck (color) (gray) - Monarch Park (color) (gray) - Jay Rd Church of Christ (gray)

Factsheets of Properties: Peck - Monarch Park - Jay Road CoC

November 30, 2005 Meeting Mintues

March 8, 2006 Meeting Minutes

September 26, 2006 Meeting Notes at Jay Road CoC

Leasing Boulder County Parks and Open Space Ag Land

Growers Association - mechanism for several small farm operations to lease one parcel together