Welcome to the Farmer Training page of the NFU New Farm Project.

Below you will find a list of farmer training workshops being offered in the near future. Some are organized by the NFU New Farm Project and some by other farm groups in Ontario. Many of these workshops are confirmed and details are listed. But for NFP workshops still in the process of being organized, details such as location, date, directions and registration method will be updated as they are confirmed. You will be notified of these changes through the NFU New Farm Project updates.

If you are not already on the NFU New Farm Project mailing list, go to the homepage and sign up by adding your email address at the bottom left of the page.

Workshop on Crop Planning for Fruit and Vegetable Growers - February 20, 2010 near Ottawa

This full day workshop is appropriate for all fruit and vegetable producers, conventional and organic. It is based on the upcoming publication from Canadian Organic Growers, Crop Planning for Diversified Vegetable Growers, by Frédéric Thériault and Daniel Brisebois.

The workshop covers a 10 step approach to crop planning, from setting financial goals to developing and implementing a crop plan, to analyzing harvest and sales data to improve future plans. Activities and discussions will help participants gain an understanding of the crop planning process and benefits so that they can make their farms more efficient and profitable.

February 20, at a location near Ottawa TBA. Cost is $50 ($45 for COG members). Includes lunch and a copy of Crop Planning. The instructor is Frédéric Thériault, co-manager of Ferme Coopérative Tourne-sol, and co-author of Crop Planning.

For information, contact Colin Lundy, COG Farmer Outreach Coordinator, by emailing colin@cog.ca or phone 613-493-0020. To register, contact COG by emailing office@cog.ca or calling 1-888-375-7383, or register online by visiting www.cog.ca/workshops/.

This training opportunity is eligible for cost-share funding through the Growing Forward Business Development for Farm Businesses program with OMAFRA. For more information on program requirements, please call 1-877-424-1300 or visit www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/growingforward/busdev.htm.

Holistic Management Course for Family Farms - Feb 26, 27 & March 12, 13, 26, 27

We have taken the 6 day course and broken it into three modules of two days each( Friday & Saturday).  Part 1 which provides an introduction and helps you develop a Holistic Goal is a prerequisite for the others.  You can take only it; plus none,  one or both of the others. All three together make the whole course. We are holding the courses  out of the snow belt at Ignatius College in Guelph to make them more accessible.

*Holistic Management Course for Family Farms; *Learn how to harmonize Environmental, Social, and Financial goals into a single Holistic Goal and make progress towards it. For all types of farm operations.  3 module course; Course limited to 10 farms, Register early.

*Feb 26 & 27, 2010  Part 1:  Introduction to Holistic Management. Create your Goal & Testing Questions*.*

*March 12 & 13,   Part 2:  Financial Planning - Taking Control - **Planning a Profit.*

*March 26 & 27,  Part 3;  Land Management,Planned Grazing, Biological Monitoring - grow more grass - improve your soil.

** The Intro course must be taken before either of the others

*Location -Ignatius College, Guelph.* Contact Tony & Fran McQuail, HMI Certified Educator Trainees at  519-528-2493 or <mcqufarm@hurontel.on.ca> for detailed information and registration.

Cost - $300 (& GST) per module.  This is the cost per farm for 2 people, bring your own lunches.  _Sign up for all three and get a $100 discount, eg $800 total._

Course runs 9-4:30 pm daily. Accommodation not included.

*Who should take this course?*

/ /*Any farm family that wants to improve their quality of life, make better decisions, get control of their finances and do a better job making their farm sustainable.*

As you look at the material about the course you may wonder why it takes 6 days. This is because it is very hands-on. You learn the concepts AND apply them to your situation so you have something to take home that is useful, not just theoretical. Doing it while you are at the course gives you the support of the educators when you have questions. Being away from the usual work demands helps you all focus on what you are working on. There is also an added synergy of learning with a group of other farmers, we all learn from each other too.

The reason for having as many as possible of the decision makers attend is that this is Wholistic Planning. It is most successful when all of the people making and carrying out decisions in a business are involved. This is one of the key differences between HM and other business planning systems.

*Based on our family’s experience taking the course could be a good “non-material” Christmas Present to give yourselves.  Our friend and mentor, Don Campbell, says the decision making tools that farm families learn can help them save far more than the course costs.  In our own experience this is true.  Shortly after taking the course testing one decision with the guidelines helped us save more than the full cost of the nine day course we took in  1995.

Be well,Tony & Fran

note - /*This training opportunity is eligible for cost-share funding through the Growing Forward Business Development for Farm Businesses program in Ontario.  For more information on program requirements, please call 1-877-424-1300 <http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/growingforward/busdev.htm%20or%20call%201-877-424-1300>/./or visit: /http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/growingforward/busdev.htm

(To Register or for more information on these Holistic Management Courses:  519-528-2493 or mcqufarm@hurontel.on.ca)

Keep an eye out for these other upcoming NFP workshops and activities in 2010:

Here are some past NFP workshop photos: