1. Cultivating Success
Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching
Fall 2016

2. Course Objectives
To gain knowledge of the practical aspects of whole farm planning for a wide variety of enterprises
To gain an understanding of components of sustainable small-scale farming systems
To gain skills in assessing the feasibility of developing a viable, sustainable, small-scale farming enterprise
To learn about available resources and support networks for sustainable farming in Skagit County
To develop a whole farm plan that meets social, environmental, and financial goals

3. Course Format Community member and Skagit Valley Student participants
Weekly Guest Speakers
Group Discussions
Producer Profiles
Supplementary Readings
2 Saturday Field Trips
Textbook
Market Farming Success – Lynn Bycznski
The New Organic Grower – Elliot Coleman
Additional resources and reading materials provided on course website

4. Date
Topic
Week 1: September 22
Sustainability Concepts
Week 2: September 29
Developing your whole farm plan
Week 3: October 6
Evaluation of Resources and Enterprise Assessment
Week 4: October 13
Sustainable Crop Production
Week 5: October 20
Plant Pathology
Field Trip1: October 22
Soils and Fertility Management Workshop and Field Day
Week 6: October 27
Integrated Pest and Weed Management
Week 7: November 3
Sustainable Livestock and Poultry and Grazing Management on Small Acreages
Week 8: November 10
Marketing Strategies and Enterprise Budgets
Week 9: November 17
Lincoln Theater – Viva Farms Film and Farmer Networking
Field Trip 2: November 19
Equipment and Facilities
Week 10: November 24
NO CLASS: THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 11: December 1
Tools for Success: Farmer Panel
Week 12 December 8
Final Presentations

5. Looking at sustainability on the farm
Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching

6. What is Sustainable Agriculture?
Satisfies human food and fiber needs;
Enhances environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends;
Makes the most efficient use of nonrenewable and on-farm resources and integrates, where appropriate, natural and biological cycles and controls;
Sustains the economic viability of agricultural operations and their communities; and
Enhances the quality of life for farmers and ranchers and society as a whole.
Definition by USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

7. Three Aspects of Agricultural Sustainability
Environmental
Promoting environmental stewardship
Social
Promoting stable, prosperous farm families and communities
Economic
Providing a more profitable farm income

8. Goal 1: Promoting environmental stewardship
Improving soil quality
Reducing dependence on non-renewable resources
Minimizing adverse impacts on safety, wildlife, water, natural resources

9. Goal 2: Promoting stable, prosperous farm families and communities
Building community connection
Keen attention to health and safety of family and farm workers
Purchasing local products, inputs, and equipment
Working for farmland preservation

10. Goal 3: Providing a more profitable
farm income
Diversify so you have a broader product base
Capture more of the consumer dollar for your product
Reduce expenses – inputs like fertilizers, etc.

11. Sustainability: Guided by motivation and values
Farmers love what they do
Personal connection to people eating their food
Farmers are doing their part in reducing use of world’s limited fossil fuels by selling local foods
Farmers grow their own food
Small acreage farming is hard work but the return to growers is improved quality of life – doing what they love, making a difference in the world, making personal connections with people that love the food they produce and having a plentiful supply of good food for themselves.

12. Tools of Sustainable Farming and Ranching
Integrated Pest Management
Soil conservation and building
Water quality / wetlands
Cover crops
Crop and landscape diversity
Rotational Grazing
Nutrient management
Crop rotations
Season Extension
Alternative Markets
Direct Marketing
Values Based Production
Value-Added Products
Farmers promote sustainability by implementing a variety of
tools or practices
Conduct Student Interest Survey

13. Step 1 in creating your Whole Farm Plan
A Whole Farm Plan is a comprehensive road map for production
Week by week we will approach the different elements of the farm plan
Participants with land will use that property throughout the activities of the course
Participants without land with choose one of two farm templates to use throughout the activities of the course
Not everyone has land, so in order to create a cohesive whole farm plan you will each need to choose from one of two template farms.

14. Farm Template Options Farm A Farm B 6 Acres in Total
1 Acre occupied by home and barn
1 Acre in pasture – no fencing
3 Acres ready for annual crop production
1 Acre in perennial crop
2 Irrigation access points
Farm B
10 Acres in Total
1 Acre occupied by home and barn
5 Acres in pasture – fenced
2 Acres ready for annual crop production
2 Acres in perennial crop production
4 Irrigation access points
Layout – Region – Crop Choice – up to the participant

15. Producer Profile: Boldly Grown Farm
Three acres, year two
Fall vegetables and flowers
Experience in production and farm management
Lease at Viva Farms
CSA, Coop, Puget Sound Food Hub, restaurants,
Certified Organic
Example Producer profile: Skagit or Whatcom farm that you think is a good model of sustainability. 2 minutes.