BECOME
a farmer
RMAT ION:
E INFO
D ... OR MOR
INVITE
F
YOU RE
Join the COLLABORATIVE REGIONAL
ALLIANCE for FARMER TRAINING as
a farmer, a trainee, or a community member. Sheri Doyel, Program Director
Whether you’ve never farmed before, currently Angelic Organics Learning Center
work on a farm, or dream of starting your 1547 Rockton Rd
own farm, the CRAFT and Stateline Farm Caledonia IL 61011
Beginnings® programs can help you become 815.389.8455
part of the exciting and innovative new field of craft@learngrowconnect.org
sustainable agriculture. You’ll enjoy hands-
on farming experiences and face-to face
conversations with beginning and experienced www.learngrowconnect.org/farmer
farmers, and receive links to land, equipment,
capital, and markets. What better way to learn
than among friends?
CRAFT and Stateline Farm Beginnings® are
coordinated by Angelic Organics Learning Center
Collaborative
Regional Alliance
All of the Farm Beginnings® material was developed by the for
Land Stewardship Project based on the experiences of their farmer Farmer Training
members. It is used by permission under license. To learn more, visit
www.landstewardshipproject.org. Stateline Farm Beginnings® adapts these
original materials based on the experiences of its CRAFT member farmers
WHY start farming at a time of staggering
TRAINING FARMERS
SINCE 1997
start-up costs, plummeting commodity prices,
declining farm numbers and increasing farm The best way to learn farming is to live
consolidation? Well, even in this difficult time,
there are farmers who are making a go of it. These
like a farmer. Let it soak into your pores
farms are economically and environmentally and fill your senses. Let it seduce you.
The first CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance
viable, and provide their families with a good
for Farmer Training) program was founded in
quality of life.
upstate New York in 1995. In 1997, ten farmers
That’s a season on a CRAF T farm.
from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin
founded a second CRAFT program in the Upper
HOW
Midwest. Since then, the alliance has become one
can beginners do it? One way is of the leading efforts to train the next generation
of sustainable farmers. Graduates, who now lead Kristen Kordet
by learning how to use low cost methods and Former CRAFT Intern
treat farming as a skill that requires top-notch dozens of new local farms, are trained by some of
Blue Moon Community Farm, Madison, WI
management and attention to the needs of the the most accomplished farmers in the Midwest.
land and its people. Another way is setting goals
and choosing tools and methods of production
based on those goals. This combination provides
an important advantage for farmers’ success.
TLY FROM
It’s incredibly satisfying to see
something completely through from LEA RN DIREC RMERS
seed to harvest and sale, selling your EXPERI ENCED FA
own things that you’ve grown yourself...
Farm internships, employment, mentoring.
it’s really wonderful and very fulfilling. Gain valuable hands-on understanding in
agriculture through one-on-one instruction
from a diverse coalition of practicing
farmers.
Monthly Workshops. Participate in field
Chris Cubberly CRAFT offers prospective farmers exposure to and day training workshops each month from
Red Tail Farm, Grayslake, IL experience with a diversity of farm/garden designs May through October.
Stateline Farm Beginnings® Graduate and agricultural practices while also providing
a supportive network of farmers and farmers-in- Stateline Farm Beginnings®. Envision and
training. In 2005, we launched the Stateline Farm plan your farm enterprise through this
Beginnings® business planning program to help whole farm business planning program.
beginning and transitioning farmers start sustainable
farm enterprises. Today, more than 50 farms in
northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin participate
in CRAFT, together with agricultural education
providers and local businesses.