Description:
This fall, the University of Vermont Extension Women’s Agricultural Network will offer in-person and on-line sessions of Growing Places, a non-credit course for people interested in starting or expanding an agricultural business. The in-person course will start September 23 in Berlin. The on-line course will start the week of October 13. For registration information for either class go to Women's Ag Network No prior experience is necessary, and people interested in all types of farm enterprises are welcome. “Growing Places is designed to help ag entrepreneurs get off to the right start in business planning and development,” says WAgN Coordinator Beth Holtzman. Whether in person or on-line, Growing Places offers the same curriculum. Participants develop goals for themselves and their businesses, become more familiar with financing options, identify and evaluate available resources, examine marketing strategies, and learn about agencies and organizations that provide support and assistance to farmers. “The course covered a lot of topics at a reasonable depth, giving us concrete information as well as a lot of food for thought,” said a recent Growing Places graduate. “Now I feel much more confident about what I need to do next and how I should operate my business.”