ASHEVILLE, N.C.–The Organic Growers School will be offering a 2-day workshop, Holistic Financial Planning on January 8-9th, 2018 for farmers at the Burnsville Town Center in Burnsville, NC. Farmers don’t get into farming because they want to manage numbers and money, but in order to be successful, money management skills are crucial. This workshop, taught by Cree Bradley of Chelsea Morning Farm in Minnesota and a trained Holistic Management Instructor, is designed to help farmers navigate the delicate balancing act that all farmers must succeed in balancing – healthy profits with healthy land, a healthy farm family and personal life.
According to Sara Jane Davis of A Way of Life Farm in Bostic, NC, who attended last year’s workshop, “I had learned about Holistic Financial Planning before, but Cree had a remarkable way of making the practice accessible and completely relevant to our farm and lives. She shared her story and lots of examples from her life to bring financial planning down to earth. The information from the class helped us make some tough decisions and become better farmers this year.” This workshop teaches a tangible, practical, hands on financial planning system that helps farmers connect financial systems for home and farm management into a clear system.
Cree Bradley brings 15 years of experience teaching Holistic Management and financial planning to farmers.  She has organized programs with the Sustainable Farming Association, Institute for a Sustainable Future, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, and the Land Stewardship Project. She has taught Holistic Management trainings in IL, WI, SD and MN, and with the MN Department of Agriculture’s Farm Core program and continues to provide leadership in the development and facilitation of Lake Superior Farm Beginnings®. She shares her own farm experience with financial management and teaches a simple way to make financial decisions toward farm & family values and goals, and how to build profit into your plans up front, rather than hoping there is something left once expenses are subtracted from income.
According to farmer and participant in 2017, Ben McCann from Goldfinch Gardens in Yancey County says, “The Holistic Farm Plan we made really helped us to control our spending. This plan made us feel in control of the money that leaves the farm. We come back to it once a month to monitor whether we are meeting our financial goals and any changes we need to make.”
The workshop is Monday and Tuesday January 8th and 9th, at the Burnsville Town Center 6 South Main Street, Burnsville NC 28714, and is hosted by the Organic Growers School, in partnership with Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture of Boone, NC. Additional sponsors include Carolina Farm Credit, Mountain Bizworks, Natural Capital Investment Fund, and WNCW Public Radio. Farmers in Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture and WNC CRAFT networks will receive a discount to attend. Pre-registration is required. To register and learn more go to: https://organicgrowersschool.
Organic Growers School (OGS) is the premiere provider of practical and affordable organic education in the Southern Appalachians, building a vibrant food & farming community by boosting the success of organic home growers and farmers in our region. A 501c3 non-profit, OGS is based in Asheville, NC, and has been serving the region since 1993.
–Nicole DelCogliano, Organic Growers School
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