Farming Foundations is a free online course that teaches farmers the knowledge they need to get their farms moving in the right direction.
Zack Snipes, ©2022, Clemson Extension
Do you want to start farming but don’t know where to start? Would you like to grow vegetable crops to sell at a local farmer’s market? Would you like to develop a farming side hustle? The Food Crop Horticulture Team at Clemson Extension has been hard at work the past few months developing an online course designed to educate the beginner farmer on the foundational management practices that will help them in their farming journey. The online class, Farming Foundations is free and consists of fourteen learning modules. Each learning module consists of videos, presentations, and resources that aim to provide the basics to beginning a farm. Each module takes approximately one hour to complete and includes concepts such as soils, fertility, land preparation, irrigation, and many more. The class has a strong focus on vegetable production. Participants have 120 days to complete the online course. In the class, participants have the option to participate in homework assignments. Homework assignments include:
- Taking a soil test.
- Inventorying your farm tools.
- Preparing a list of suppliers and budgets for your farm.
The homework assignments can be added to the participants’ portfolio, which serves as their first farm recordkeeping book. If you are ready to start farming, this class is a must. If you are interested in taking this course, please follow the registration link here: https://cpe.clemson.edu/browse/extension/horticulture/courses/farming-foundations
