Project Title:
Non-Traditional Enterprise Data Establishment: Farmer’s Market
Project Director and Other Associated Faculty and Staff:
Brad Irwin, Instructor, Farm Business Management, Central Lakes College, Contact: fbmbrad@mlecmn.net, Telephone (218)927-2115, ext. 106
Ann Silgen, Asst. Director of Development Central Lakes College, Contact: asilgen@clcmn.edu, Telephone: (218)855-8242
Project Design:
In today’s market, farmers need to develop skills in income projections and cash flow analysis so they can decide if they wish to participate in local farmers market and other off-farm sales opportunities. This project was designed to achieve several goals: (1) Prepare a horticulture crop enterprise summary, (2) Provide comparison of livestock producers who sell their livestock to processors with small scale producers who practice free-range poultry, (3) Disseminate information to existing and future growers, (4) Educate producers on best practices, (5) Encourage dialog between growers and markets and consumers, (6) Provide marketing seminars on how to develop a market niche.
Project Evaluation and Outcomes:
The project met most of its goals by working with the Central Regional partnership to provide marketing seminars and working with the State Dept. of Agriculture to provide seminars on participation in farmers markets and other off-farm sales. Furthermore, as a result of this project, new courses were developed and approved to educate farmers on farmers’ market opportunities. These courses served participants of various backgrounds and included 19 farmers markets within the central and north-central region of Minnesota. The majority of participants stated that they learned a great deal from being involved in the project including recordkeeping, production and marketing.
Lessons Learned, Dissemination and Sustainability
Sustainability has been aided by several activities that were products of this project. First, a new Farmers Market was started in Aitkin, MN this past year by project participants and the market has grown from 3 to 6 vendors. Second, the addition of four new courses on farm business management. These courses will add to the statewide curriculum and be used by farmers and add value to the operation of farm businesses and aid in community development.
