This module provides farmers with a foundational understanding of mixing cover crops and provides an overview of a cover crop mix calculator tool, which can help farmers in understanding how much to seed.

This is a guide for training on the basics of raising farm livestock (specifically chickens and goats). Each lesson can be used independently if desired by the program. It was written for a community farm program in Central Virginia, however most of the concepts are transferable across geography. Local livestock laws and regulations and supply sourcing stores will need to be researched to be relevant for other locations.

This guide is a user’s guide for training on the basics of flood risk management. Each lesson can be used independently if desired by the program. It was written in Central Virginia, however most of the concepts are transferable across geography.

This user’s guide will help trainers introduce New American farmers to concepts and best practices for engaging direct wholesale customers at different market access points such as independent restaurants and groceries. This guide contains learning activities which can be used together for a comprehensive introduction to direct wholesale marketing or used in sections to focus specific market types.

The purpose of this guide is to introduce farmers to two kinds of FSA loans, Operating Loans and Micro Operating Loans. It provides an overview of these programs and a checklist tool that farmers can use to gather information and documents they will need for loan applications.

This is an introduction to vendor and general liability insurance for farmers. The need for good on-farm food and general safety is emphasized, but GAP practices are not covered in this module. The module discusses the need for insurance, what liability insurance is, costs and steps in getting insurance, and provides a few examples of cases where liability insurance is important.

Trainers can use this teaching module to help farmers, either as a group or one-on-one, make a plan for seeding cover crops in their field, by selecting the best cover crop for their needs and determining the right amount of cover crop seeds to purchase and plant.

NIFTI Fact Sheet: Considerations for High Tunnel Design and Construction. Compiled from 2017 NIFTI Listserv Contributions.

This guide can be used to assist trainers who want to make good farm recordkeeping practices accessible to farmers with limited English and/or low literacy skills. It covers the reasons for and benefits of keeping good records for harvest and post-harvest activities, including compliance with food safety requirements. It explains what kinds of information need to be recorded and provides recommendations for when and how to collect that information. Tools which allow farmers with low-literacy skills to keep good records of on-farm activities are provided. This teaching resource was developed by Craig Demi of the Southside Community Land Trust in Providence, RI in partnership with the Institute for Social and Economic Development (ISED Solutions). 

This guide can be used to assist trainers who want to make good farm record keeping practices accessible to farmers with limited English or low-literacy skills. It covers the reasons and benefits of keeping good records for planning and planting, including compliance with food safety requirements. It explains what kinds of information need to be recorded and provides recommendations for when and how to collect that information. Tools which allow farmers with low-literacy skills to keep good records of on-farm activities are provided. This teaching resource was developed by Craig Demi of the Southside Community Land Trust in Providence, RI in partnership with the Institute for Social and Economic Development (ISED Solutions).