Some great learning opportunities this fall…

1. Growing Places, a non-credit course designed to help people explore the possibilities – and realities – of owning or expanding an agricultural business, will be offered by the Women’s Agricultural Network (WAgN) in Middlebury beginning on October 13. Additional on-line sessions will be offered in early 2008.
2. “Adding the Internet to Your Business Recipe:”
Using e-mail, Web sites and e-commerce to connect farm businesses with existing and new markets
The University of Vermont Center for Rural Studies and The Women’s Agricultural Network (WAgN) will a three-day workshop on the Internet and e-commerce in October and November. Participants will learn how e-mail, Web sites and selling online can connect farm businesses to their current customers and to new markets.
Will be held from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 17, Oct. 24 and Nov. 7 in Randolph. The first two days will cover the basics of using the Internet as a marketing tool and online sales. There will be presentations by small business owners and e-commerce experts, group activities and concrete steps for getting started or fine-tuning an Internet presence. The final session will be a hands-on workshop focusing on specific e-commerce-related skills.
The workshop is geared toward female farm-based business owners but is open to anyone.
The registration fee is $75 ($60 before Oct. 2) and includes lunch each day. Register online at www.regonline.com/ecommerceworkshop07 or contact Beth Holtzman at wagn@uvm.edu or (802) 223-2389, Ext. 15, for a registration form.
3. New Course to Address the Needs of Maturing Farm Businesses
The University of Vermont Women’s Agricultural Network (WAgN) is offering a new course to help experienced farm business owners focus on key issues of maturing businesses. The course, Taking Stock, will start October 25 and is designed for farmers who have been in business for at least five years.
“It’s easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day business of running a farm that you forget to step back and ask yourself, ‘How healthy is this business? Is this business still making me happy?'” said WAgN director Mary Peabody. “This course will help participants take that step to assess their operations and help them manage their way to healthy farm businesses.”
Taking Stock participants will learn how to take a critical look at their businesses, re-assess what is working and discover where some fine-tuning might be needed. Topics will include financial analysis, legal issues, labor management, business transition planning, among others.
The 12-hour class will be held in South Burlington on four consecutive Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., starting on October 25 and running through November 15.
The fee is $135 and covers registration and all materials. As part of this pilot course, participants will be eligible to receive a $100 rebate on the registration fee in return for completing an in-depth evaluation of the course.
For more info on any of these courses: Beth.Holtzman@uvm.edu