New recorded programs available on MSU Extension Beginning Farmer website
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EmailFor those interested in new farm enterprises, these recorded presentations by MSU Extension educators and other experts offer a free, online opportunity to learn about the basics.
The Michigan State University Extension Beginning Farmer Webinar Series completed its sixth year in May 2017. Recordings of this year’s presentations are now available online on the MSU Extension Beginning Farmer Webinars Series website at no cost.
There are currently 70 recorded presentations, delivered by 53 expert presenters from MSU and elsewhere from 2012 through 2017, posted on the website. They cover a wide variety of topics for beginning farmers. Categories include:
- Farm business
- Field crops
- Fruits and nuts
- Livestock
- Machinery
- Marketing
- Organic agriculture
- Pollinators
- Poultry
- Vegetables
- Floriculture
- Woodlot management
- Soil fertility and health
- Aquaculture
The new recordings from the 2017 series include:
- Small vegetable farm systems, presenter: Abbey Palmer, MSU North Farm, Chatham, MI
- Hoophouse management, presenter: Collin Thompson, MSU Extension, MSU North Farm, Chatham
- Maple syrup, presenters: Bob and Sue Battel, MSU Extension and Battel’s Sugar Bush, Pure Maple Syrup
- Fencing and water systems for livestock, presenters: Jerry Lindquist and Kevin Gould, MSU Extension
- Blueberries, presenter: Mark Longstroth, MSU Extension
- Crop nutrient management, presenter: Jim Isleib, MSU Extension
- Aquaculture, presenter: Elliot Nelson, Michigan Sea Grant Extension
- Planning and operating a mixed fruit orchard, presenter: Bob Tritten, MSU Extension
- Producing and selling eggs, presenter: Dr. Darrin Karcher, Purdue University
A recent survey sent to past participants in the series indicates these webinars have been helpful to people considering a new farm business enterprise. In some cases, the basic information helped people get started. In other cases, the participants decided they would be wiser explore something else. Either way, getting a good look at a proposed farm business enterprise gives a person useful insights as they make decisions.
A new series of online webinars will be developed for winter 2018. A small fee is charged to participate in live webinars. Attending live has benefits, including the opportunity to interact with presenters during the program. If you want to be notified directly about upcoming MSU Extension Beginning Farmer Webinars, please contact Jim Isleib at isleibj@anr.msu.edu.
Please feel free to visit the Beginning Farmer Webinars Series website and take a look through the recorded webinars.
