ITHACA, N.Y. — Last week marked the official launch of the Cornell Small Farms Program’s online course season, as block one courses began live instruction. There’s still time to join in those courses, or you can starting planning ahead for our upcoming block two courses.
With webinars starting at the beginning of November, our second block of courses focuses on production strategies from berries and veggies to cattle and cut flowers. Our suite of online courses is offered on a user-friendly platform, which grants registrants permanent access to their course content. Also, courses have tiered pricing based on household size and income to make access to the courses more affordable and equitable for everyone.
Registration is now open for all courses, with live content starting in November for our second block of courses.
Tuesdays: November 2 – December 7, 2021
This new course will show you how having a successful cattle business is about much more than just buying a few head and putting them in a field. Learn about appropriate breeds, marketing strategies, and many more aspects of starting a beef enterprise.
​
Tuesdays: November 2 – December 7, 2021
If you’re exploring the idea of adding berries and bramble fruits to your farm, this course will help you think through this decision, from varieties and site selection to profit and marketing. This course will be especially useful if you are interested in growing berries for income.
Mondays: November 1 – December 6, 2021
Fields of flowers are dreamy, but without the background knowledge on production techniques and a solid plan for selling, those flowers can be more costly than profitable. This new course will give you an introduction to the business of flower farming, including the topics, resources and questions you’ll need to answer if you intend to operate a flower farm or add flower production as one component of an established business.
Tuesdays: November 2 – December 7, 2021​
Whether monetizing the effects of silvopasture, learning the logistics of cutting for firewood, tapping for maple syrup, or venturing into mushroom production, this online course will give you the tools necessary to tap into the potential profit of your woodlot.
​
​Intro to Maple Syrup Production
Thursdays: November 4 – December 16, 2021 (skipping Thanksgiving)​
Maple syrup production is rapidly growing around the Northeast and offers a sound financial opportunity to utilize woodlots. This course explores the range of possibilities of maple sugaring on your land, including “alternative” trees for production, such as Birch and Black Walnut.
​
Tuesdays: November 2 – December 7, 2021​​
Many new farmers get started with poultry because it’s a relatively low-investment with a fairly quick revenue turnaround. The margins can be slim though, and this course will help you develop the necessary skills to build a successful poultry enterprise.
​
Wednesdays: November 3 – December 8, 2021​​
This course will help you answer basic questions about site selection, crop rotation, seeding and transplanting, as well as the financial aspects of vegetable crop production. Afterward take Vegetable Production II, the continuation of this course, which will guide you through the growing season from planting to harvest.
Our program offers more than two dozen online courses. These courses cover a range of topics any farmer needs to succeed, such as beekeeping, holistic financial planning, soil health, vegetable farming, and so much more. Experienced farmers and extension educators guide students through course content, including weekly live webinars, videos, and resources.
New additions to our online course suite this year include “Access to Capital” for anyone seeking funding for a farm enterprise, and “Cut Flower Production” which offers an introduction to the business of flower farming. Last year we had also added a 4-week intensive in how “Reading the Land” can help you monitor its health, a course on “Beef Cattle Management,” and a primer on “Social Media & Online Marketing” for your farm business.
The bulk of the course happens on your own time, with discussions, readings, and assignments in Teachable, our online course platform. To add to the experience, webinars will be woven into the interface of the course for a dedicated time slot each year to allow you to meet on a weekly basis to learn from presenters and ask questions in real-time. If you miss one, they are always recorded and posted for later viewing.
You can browse all of our course offerings on our website. You can learn more about our courses, including answers to common questions, on our course FAQ.
–Cornell Small Farms Program
