Training Farm Program
- What You Can Expect From NESFP on the Training Farm
- What NESFP Will Expect From You on the Training Farm
- Training Farm Fees
- Extra Fees
After completing the Farm Business Planning Course and developing a farm business plan and crop plan, you can start farming! You are responsible for farmland rental, and for purchasing seeds, fertilizers, and other materials, and are required to attend the Spring/Summer Field Series. NESFP will give you additional technical assistance as needed, through one-on-one technical assistance sessions.
You will be eligible to rent land (up to 1 acre) on one of our training farms in Dracut or Sutton. In 2008, one acre cost $550 for the entire season. Training farm sites are equipped with production hoophouses (unheated greenhouses), storage sheds, access to irrigation, small equipment (trimmers, rototillers), produce wash stations, electric fencing, and general farm tools and supplies. NESFP owns tractors and also provides custom tractor services to farmers for a fee. After three years on a training site, you will be assisted to transition to your own independent farm site.
If you choose to farm elsewhere, we will help you to locate and evaluate other farmland. What you grow on the land is yours. You may choose to sell some of it through the World PEAS Cooperative, sell at farmers markets or to other people, or bring it home to eat!
For more information on how to start farming, contact McKenzie Boekholder at 978-654-6745, mboekholder@comteam.org.
See our Farmer Manual to read about agreements established between farmers and NESFP prior to beginning of the training farm program.
What You Can Expect From NESFP on the Training Farm
Before the season:
We help you one-on-one with
- planning your crops and markets
- ordering seeds and seedlings
- getting permits and insurance
Training and on-farm assistance:
We offer hands-on training so that you can learn to
- plant crops
- use a hoophouse
- set up irrigation systems
- controlling weeds and pests, and diseases safely
- use farm equipment
We also offer workshops and tours of markets and other farms.
Markets: We help you find places to sell your crops and get the best prices for them. You can also join the World Peas Cooperative to sell your crops.
Keeping records: We help you keep track of: what you plant, pest problems, what you harvest and sell, and your income and expenses.
Managing your farm business plans: We review your business plan regularly and help you make changes as needed.
Loans and credit:We can help you request a small loan through Accion or other lending programs.
Land Services
After you pay your land fee, NESFP will:
- plow your field in the spring and fall
- help to prepare your soil with pH and fertility applications (limited to field-scale applications as indicated by soil tests)
- provide sanitary facilities
- provide access to water for your crops
- provide insurance for general farm liability
- plant seed on your field in the fall to protect the soil for the winter
Equipment
You must follow all Equipment Use Guidelines. If you pay the Equipment Fee, NESFP will let you:
- use their rototiller
- use their flame weeder
- use their backpack sprayer
- use their hand tools
- use their wheelbarrows
If you borrow the rototiller, you will need to pay for the:
- Fuel
- Oil changes
- Any repairs due to misuse
Pesticides
Farmers must follow all Pesticide Safety and Pest Management Guidelines. If you pay the Pesticide Fee, NESFP will let you use the pesticides, which they have purchased for your use.
Cooler
Farmers must follow the Cooler Use Guidelines. If you pay the Cooler Fee, NESFP will let you use the cooler at Richardson's farm to store your crops at any time.
What NESFP Will Expect From You on the Training Farm:
Completion of Business Training Course: You must complete the Business Planning Course and develop a business plan before you begin to farm.
Required Trainings: You must attend the pest management and equipment safety training in order for you to learn how to operate safely and legally on your farm.
Attendance at Trainings and Field Trips: You must attend at least 2/3 of the trainings and field trips during the season so that you can see how established successful farms operate and learn to operate your own farm successfully.
Agreement to Follow the Farmsite rules: You must agree to the site guidelines and pesticide use rules and follow them all season so that you can operate your farm successfully: General Farm Guidelines, Water Use and Irrigation Guidelines, Soil and Land Use Guidelines, Greenhouse Use Guidelines, Insurance Guidelines
Recordkeeping: We expect you to keep good records of
- crops which you plant
- water use
- pesticide use
- expenses
- ales and revenues
You must share these with NESFP staff so that they can assist you to become successful.
Meetings with staff: You will be expected to meet with NESFP staff on a regular schedule to work on and review your production and marketing needs.
Participation on Farmer committees: You will be expected to participate in at least 2/3 of farmer committee meetings. You will also be expected to participate in Coop meetings if you are a member of the World PEAS Cooperative.
Training Farm Fees
Below is a listing of NESFP farmer fees for the 2008 growing season. This list is provided as an example only, since there may be adjustments to fees in subsequent years.
| Land Rental | Acres @ $550/ acre | ________ | |
| Equipment Fee | $50/season | ________ | |
| Pesticide Fee | $50/season | ________ | |
| Cooler Use | $125/season | ________ | |
| Grand Total Fee: | ___________ |
The fees noted above are due on April 15th.
Extra Fees
Tractor Services
NESFP will plow your fields. But, NESFP will charge you $40 per hour for our Farm Manager to do extra work to:
- lay your plastic on your field
- make raised beds on your field
- rototill your field
- disk and harrow your field
- mow your field
- remove plastic mulch or trash from your field (plus disposal costs)
You must pay NESFP at the time of service or within one week of these billed services. Graduates of our program may still be eligible for custom tractor services at slightly higher custom tractor rates.
Also, you can call someone else and ask them to do the tractor work for you (with NESFP and landowner permission). Other people may charge a different rate than NESFP.
Trash Disposal
NESFP will charge you for any trash in your field. You will need to plan what you will do with your trash (including drip tape and black plastic) before planting in your field. All trash, stakes, trellis, plastic mulch, drip tape, and other farm supplies must be removed from your field by September 15. Please talk with NESFP staff to learn about your options for cleaning up all of your trash, so you will not have to be charged more money.
Lost Keys
If you lose your keys, NESFP will charge $10 to make new keys for you.
