Welcome to Skagit County

August 5th, 2010

Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching Course - Curso de Agricultura Organica/Sostenible

Now Enrolling! The Cultivating Success Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching Course starts Wednesday, Sept. 8 and will be held every Wednesday evening, from 6-9pm, through Nov. 24, with some weekend farm visits.

This course is excellent for individuals and couples who wish to start or redesign a small farm enterprise. It helps participants take a realistic look at their goals and resources and decide what type of small acreage enterprise is right for them. Students are exposed to all type of farming and ranching systems, guest farmers speak to the class, and field trips are taken to local farms.
Participants with practical farming experience who complete this course and the follow-up Farm Business Planning course (offered in the Spring) will be eligible to lease plots at Viva Farms (www.VivaFarms.org), a farm business incubator that encourages farm entry by providing land, equipment, shared infrastructure, technical assistance, marketing support and farm financing to new and immigrant farmers.

The course fee is $250; some scholarships and worktrades are available.
Courses will be held at the WSU Mt. Vernon Research Center, located at 16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.
This year's course will be taught in English and Spanish, using the "adult dual-language model" (i.e., some portions of the course will be in English with Spanish translation and a few will be in Spanish with English translation.)

To register, or for more information about courses or Viva Farms, please email sschaffer@wsu.edu or call Sarita Schaffer at 206-914-7948. Space is limited!