Small Farms Course

Overview
Course Topics
Course Resources

Urban sprawl and development is on the increase in Maryland. According to the 2002 census 48% of farms are less than 50 acres and 89% of farmers are part-time, working 100 or more days off the farm. This trend is expected to continue because of high land values and farming costs. These small farms and part-time farmers are looking for new enterprises to grow more intensely on small acreage and many of the landowners are new to farming. This program focuses on new and/or small farmers interested in agriculture, the environment, and production. Farmers continue to search for ways to diversify and add value to their products.

Goals of the program include:

Introducing the agriculture industry and available enterprises to small farmers.
Increasing environmental stewardship crop and livestock production strategies.
Providing tools to develop a small farm enterprise.
Identifying resources available to small farmers.

Workbook Small Farm Activities

Introduction to Small Farms

Crop Production

Livestock Management

Animal Science and Livestock Production, S. Dill (pdf)
Livestock Terms and Definitions, S. Dill (pdf)
Livestock Spacing Requirements, Doane’s Ag Report
Evaluating Hay Quality, Fact Sheet #644 (pdf)
Forage Production, Fact Sheet #470 (pdf)
Grazing Management, Fact Sheet #786 (pdf)

Business and Marketing

Other Resources

Shannon's Top 10 Small Farm Websites

http://www.agnr.umd.edu/: This is the UMD, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources website. This is the portal to find Extension Fact Sheets, meetings, workshops, and the Home and Garden Information Center (www.hgic.com).

http://www.smallfarmsuccess.info/: This site helps farmers effectively use consumer research and direct marketing techniques, develop sustainable and profitable crop rotation strategies, and adopt financial strategies that enable them to remain viable.

http://ag.udel.edu/extension/wcu/index.htm: This is a weekly crop and vegetable update for Delmarva. It's a great resource for following disease and insect pressure through the growing season.

http://www.rma.usda.gov/: The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is part of the USDA. Its role is to help producers manage their business risks through effective, market-based risk management solutions. Also administers the crop insurance program.
http://www.attra.org/: ATTRA is a National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. It provides information and other technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.
http://www.sare.org/: The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program.
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/: The Small Farm Center specializes in the needs of farmers, researchers, organizations, farm advisors, and consumers by providing research results, publications, and educational programs on small farm topics.
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/smallfarms.cfm: This website is intended to be a one-stop gateway to resources, benefits, and services offered by USDA for small farmers.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/: The Alternative Farming System Information Center specializes in identifying and accessing information related to alternative agricultural enterprises and crops as well as alternative cropping systems.
http://www.smallfarms.cornell.edu/: This website provides easy access to information for small-scale farmers and those who work with them.