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2008 - 2009 Central Illinois Farm Beginnings Class Schedule
Winter Course – October to March
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Presenters:
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TBD
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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10:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Class Overview:
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We will introduce the concept and practice of economically and environmentally sustainable
agriculture and then introduce the framework of the Central Illinois Farm Beginnings
course. The final outcome of the classroom portion of the CIFB course is a Strategic
Business Plan. You will hand this outline in, and do a Final Presentation to the
class based on it. If you complete all the class assignments, you will have built
your business plan by the end of the course.
A farmer panel of successful, local, sustainable farmers will talk about their personal
values and how those values relate to their goals and to their farming practices.
Students will have plenty of time to ask the farmers questions.
The remainder of the class will be devoted to activities and discussions to help
each participant gain a clear idea of their own personal values and how those will
inform their personal and strategic business goals.
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Activities:
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Values and goals clarification; and assess your skills and resources.
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Presenters:
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TBD
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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10:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Class Overview:
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In this session, farmer-educators and business planning professionals share their
perspectives about the value of a business plan, business-planning efforts, managing
a business, and networking.
A sample business plan is introduced and discussed.
Outline the structure, and homework assignments, which will lead you step by step
through building your own farm business plan by the end of the course.
Discuss reasons to do a business plan, what a business plan entails, and resources
to help you put a plan together. We will also discuss the entrepreneurial nature
of farming and what that means to you, the farmer.
Farmer presenters will discuss their business plans, including assumptions used
to develop the financial projections section. They will also discuss how their document
has evolved since its inception.
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Presenters:
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TBD
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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10:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Class Overview:
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Review previous session by sharing your personal values with other participants
and established farmers.
Think through and articulate the long term vision for your farm.
Create your business Mission Statement.
Understanding and learning how a Whole Farm SWOT analysis can be helpful in defining
and clarifying the issues you need to address in developing your business plan.
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Presenters:
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TBD
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
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Class Overview:
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In this session, beginning farmers have the opportunity to see real numbers from
established farmers’ financial plans and budgets, as well as weekly and/or yearly
actuals. These established, sustainable farmers share their budgeting tips, learned
through years of farming. Beginning farmers are introduced to the processes that
established farmers use to determine financial projections – specifically, expenses
and income. Class will also include an opportunity for you to assess and to better
understand your money beliefs. Once beginning farmers are comfortable with basic financial planning tools, they
will have an opportunity to learn how to "Plan for Profit" in the complex
world of small business management and farming. The additional tools of "Return
on Investment" and "Gross Profit Analysis" are introduced, demonstrated
and applied to participants' farm plans.
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Presenters:
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TBD
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
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Class Overview:
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TBD
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Presenters:
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TBD
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
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Class Overview:
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Marketing, getting the word out and getting your product out, is crucial to a successful
farming enterprise. Robin Mather Jenkins will give tips on contacting the media
(newpapers, radio, TV) to get your name, your farm name, your farm product, and
your message in the public eye. Terra Brockman will cover the pros and cons of wholesale
and direct marketing options, including farmer's markets, CSAs, pick-your-own operations,
roadside stands, selling to restaurants and schools, coops, and using the internet
as a farm marketing tool. We will also touch on agri-tourism and value-added products.
Tracy Vowell will talk about what chefs want and need from their suppliers, and
how to contact and communicate with chefs, and deliver what they want when they
want it.The second part of this session is the "reality check". You will learn, straight from successful farmers,
the realities of establishing and running a farm business. You will hear about different
ways farmers structure their businesses and market their products, including farmers
markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), grocery stores, restaurants and
buying clubs. After we cover the basics of marketing, you will work in small groups
to create a marketing plan for a product of your choice. This session will help
you answer questions such as: Where will I sell my product? How many different "revenue
streams" should I have? Who will buy my product? How much will they pay for it?
What will my production and marketing costs be? What will my net profit be? Rich
Schell will answer your questions on legal aspects of marketing your farm products
directly to consumers. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers.
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Presenters:
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TBD
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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10:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Class Overview:
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TBD
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Presenters:
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TBD
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Facilitator:
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Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, Small Farm and Sustainable Agriculture Extension Specialist,
University of Illinois Extension
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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10:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Class Overview:
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This session will synthesize and integrate all the work you have done throughout
the course. After brief presentations by Elaine Sebald and Terra Brockman about
the increasing demand for more local farmers and fresh farm products, we will continue
with presentation of business plans. Annette Holmes will provide information about
federal and state government policies and programs for farmers interested in protecting
their natural resource base.
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Overview of Class:
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Face-to-face meeting with mentors
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Location:
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Macon County Extension Office, Decatur IL
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Time:
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10 am - 4 pm
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