Cornell U to offer "Beginning Farming" Online Courses

[Dusky Beauty]

Check it out! these look pretty useful and teach different skills and business levels.
Online Courses | Northeast Beginning Farmer Project

They are non accredited courses (that means you're learning for the sake of learning, not for college credits) and cost around 200$ a class-- not too shabby!

I don't think they would qualify for financial aid, but I haven't called up and asked either. This program is available to anyone in the US regardless of region.

[Micheal]

Seem similar to some of the farming "corespondent courses" I took in the early 70's from U of Penn. Those to were slanted for farmers living in the North East.
Although back then they were only $20 a course...... but the mailing(s) back and forth once you started the course were via college supplied postage paid envelopes - of course this was w-a-y before the computer/internet age.......

[clovis]

Wow...I really like what I see.

I'd love to see a drastic change in small farms, and for it to be profitable for the person working less than 100 acres. Of course, this won't be with traditional corn and bean row cropping, but much more diverse specialty crops for local use.

[Wayne02]

Good stuff. Don't forget to check with your tax person about this kind of thing. The IRS likes to look for, 'intent to make profit', and continuing eduction may fall into that category. You might be able to expense some or all of the tuition, books, and other expenses related to eduction against your farm business. It would be worth at least an email or call to your tax person to check this out.

[VERN in IL]

LOL, this reminds me of a local Realtor... Name of his buisness, "BUY A FARM!"

So after you gone to these classes and got your "degree" you can pop down a couple of million on a "Farm"(dunno why the previous farmer couldn't make it, he didn't have a degree!)
from the local bank as a "Contract Grower" and after 30 years of paying your debt you'll be bringing in the $$$$!

After all my Uncle farms 1900 acres and he is rolling in the deep with cash!!!

and even if you have a bad crop, you are "too big to fail" and the USDA is there for YOU!

[PaulNKS]

Originally Posted by clovis

Wow...I really like what I see.

I'd love to see a drastic change in small farms, and for it to be profitable for the person working less than 100 acres. Of course, this won't be with traditional corn and bean row cropping, but much more diverse specialty crops for local use.

Clovis. It amazes me that people think the majority of farms are large farms. If you look at the USDA statistics, in the USA OVER 50% of ALL ag revenues come from small farms with revenues of less than $10K per year.

And... those numbers are growing.

Evidently Cornell has seen those stats also and decided to capitalize on a much needed program.

[OldNight]

Thanks for posting this. I wish I could afford to take these - always love to learn what I can.