Small-Scale Intensive Farming: Lowering Risks and Increasing Profits

Small-Scale Intensive Farming: Lowering Risks and Increasing Profits

Date: Thursday, October 10 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration Fee: $25 Location: LINC Urban Farm, 222 Division Dr., Wilmington, NC Small-scale and urban farmers face many well-known risk management challenges.  This workshop will provide information on risk management strategies particular to business and financial planning, market diversification, and intensive crop production techniques as a means of lowering risks and increasing farm revenue.  Workshop participants will learn how to overcome barriers that commonly affect farmers on small-acreage and urban soils, including the high cost of land, equipment, and farm infrastructure.  The workshop will include risk management techniques for intensively producing high quality crops on a commercial scale. Join Andy Pressman, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), as he leads participants in exploring the application of small-scale intensive crop production, drawing on his experience in sustainable farming systems.  Pressman will focus on how to structure a business plan, marketing campaign, and production strategies for commercial success by increasing yields and keeping investments and overhead costs low.  This hands-on workshop will also include a demonstration of tools and equipment that allow for maximum efficiency in small-scale intensive cropping systems. To Register: Please complete a registration form (WORD or PDF) and return with your registration fee.

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Biographies of presenters:

Andy Pressman is a Sustainable Agriculture Specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the ATTRA Project.  He has a background in small-scale intensive farming systems and works in the fields of organic crop production, season extension, urban farming, and farm energy.  He and his family operate Foggy Hill Farm; a small diversified family farm located in southern New Hampshire.

Al Hight is a native North Carolinian with a BS degree and a MS in Horticulture from NCSU. He has worked for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in seven different counties during his 20-year tenure currently serving as County Extension Director in New Hanover County. His position is also charged with providing leadership and direction for the New Hanover County Arboretum and Gardens.

Rhonda Sherman has been a member of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at NC State University for 20 years. She provides education and technical assistance about composting and vermicomposting throughout the United States and has assisted people in 89 countries. Since 2001, Rhonda has annually conducted the nation’s only conference on large-scale vermicomposting, helping about 1,000 people to start-up or expand worm farms.

Hosted by: National Center for Appropriate Technology, CEFS, Leading Into New Communities (LINC), NC Cooperative Extension