| The Farm Beginnings Program of the Land Stewardship Project is an innovative program designed for those who want to begin to farm or to transition from conventional farming to sustainable agriculture practices. Farm Beginnings is an adult education program that uses a combination of classes, mentorships, and field days and creates an opportunity for participants to network with established sustainable farmers. Class presenters and mentors are established farmers who continue to learn from their experience. More than 185 people have completed the Farm Beginnings course and 65% of those graduates are farming over 6,000 acres and engaging in enterprises covering a diverse spectrum of agriculture.By using a case study approach, this research was designed to gain a deeper understanding of the Farm Beginnings program, to explore who are the participants, and what are the experiences of the individuals and families who participate in that program. This study includes 10 cases and uses maximum variation heterogeneity sampling. The cases represent the diversity of the participants and characteristics include such dimensions as age, gender, marital status, geographic location, occupation, education, and agricultural background In-depth interviews were conducted and these were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed thematically. Profiles of the ten cases are included in a separate section.Common themes that emerge in the study are that participants feel this adult education program transmits specific knowledge and skills to engage in alternative agriculture, but the depth and breadth of Farm Beginnings goes beyond the formal program. The networking, lifestyle planning, and sense of community that develop in the class and within the larger sustainable agriculture community is crucial to the program.Many of these people are seen as new innovators in their communities, and Farm Beginnings builds capacity and confidence among participants. The program and its participants include economic success as one part of a successful enterprise, but other values such as stewardship of the land and environment, strengthening rural communities, and quality of life weigh heavily in defining success.Finally, the study concludes with recommendations for the Farm Beginnings Program and recommendations for possible further research. |
