Program Overview

Growing Farms Online: Successful Whole Farm Management

The Growing Farms Online: Successful Whole Farm Management program provides farmers with the tools and knowledge needed to develop and manage a successful farm business. This course is designed for individuals who are considering starting a farm business, those within their first five years of farming and wanting to grow, or those considering major changes to their farm business.

Program Overview

The core Growing Farms course is a series of six online modules that lead participants through the basics of managing a successful farm business. The course was developed by OSU Small Farms Program faculty and other farm management experts and is presented in an interactive and graphically rich format. Modules include more than four hours of video created specifically for the Growing Farms course and feature six Oregon farmers who share their experience and insights about farming.

Program Structure

The program consists of six online modules, which can be completed at the participant's own pace. The modules are:

• Dream It: Laying the groundwork for success through planning, assessing resources, and creating an identity for the farm.
• Do It: Building the farm through smart investments in equipment and infrastructure, hiring and managing employees effectively, and monitoring energy consumption.
• Sell It: Developing successful markets for farm products with strategies that are compatible with personal and financial goals and that capitalize on customer needs and trends.
• Manage It: Strengthening the farm business through better financial management, tracking production costs and pricing, and establishing procedures for record keeping and accounting.
• Grow It: Working with nature to create and manage a farm ecosystem that is productive, able to resist pests, and enhances the quality of land and other natural resources.
• Keep It: Sustaining the farm business over the long-haul through entrepreneurship, development of good communication within the family and business team, careful attention to regulations, and risk management.

Additional Resources

Additional free resources are available for those interested in learning more about growing and managing a successful farm business, including:

• Growing Farms: Introduction to Pasture and Grazing Management Course
• What Can I Do with My Small Farm?
• Food Safety and Product Quality (farm-direct marketing)
• Oregon Community Food Systems: Farmers Markets
• Practical Strategies to Assess and Improve Small Farm Profits
• Beef Production for Small Farms: An Overview

Program Details

• The program is available on demand, with access to modules for a five-month period from the date of registration.
• Each online module requires 3-6 hours to complete.
• The program is delivered online.
• The cost of the program is $100.