By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

WILMINGTON, Ohio — Looking for ideas on how to start-up an agricultural or horticultural enterprise on a small farm? The Ohio State University Southern Ohio New and Small Farm College has answers.

This program introduces new and seasoned farmers to a wide variety of topics, said organizer Tony Nye of OSU Extension in Clinton County.

“This is an introductory eight-week course of ‘how do I become a farmer?’” Nye said. “We talk about planning and setting goals; talking to the family about what they might be willing to do; coming up with a mission statement. We talk about where you can get information.”

Many who take the course are not traditional farmers.

They don’t know about the available resources such as the soil and water conservation office, FSA or OSU extension, Nye said.

“We get into taxes, record keeping, agricultural laws,” Nye said. “Some of these folks might have the idea of doing something with agritourism as they grow their enterprises; what are liabilities?”
Possible enterprises such as poultry, sheep and goats, freezer beef, fruit and vegetable gardening are discussed but the college does not go in-depth into each one. That would take too long.

“We give them background information, we give them budget information, start-up costs, we suggest opportunities,” Nye said. “If we were talking about vegetable productions we will look at the green industry from a vegetable standpoint as to what opportunities are out there.”

In the classes Nye emphasizes that it is not as simple as putting some seeds in the ground and watching them grow. He’ll talk about winter weather and the necessity of visiting the barn in the middle of the night to check on lambs or other critters, the importance of having water available at all times. 

At the programs end attendees will have a toolbox that allows them to feel comfortable about existing opportunities, Nye said. After facing the realities some people have given up their farm plans, but were glad they had the chance to learn the facts.

“We’ve given them some things to think about in terms of taxes and laws and record keeping,” Nye said. “What it costs to start up the marketing opportunities.

We talk about the non-glamorous things that come with raising livestock or having a garden. If you have five sows on five acres you better have good fence because they’ll root under it.”

Since its beginning in 2005, the colleges have helped 397 individuals representing 295 farms from 35 Ohio counties.
There are success stories. One couple began raising range poultry. Another farm family with 1,700 acres attended to find ideas for grown children who wanted to come back to the farm. Another family had horses on land, where they hoped to live someday. They decided that was all they could handle at the time.
The New and Small Farm College will be conducted at two locations this year. The first college will be at the Fayette County Extension and Agricultural Center, 1415 U.S. Route 22 SW, Washington Court House on Mondays beginning Jan. 10, 2010. Classes run from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.

The second class is in Guernsey County at the MidEast Career Center, Buffalo Campus, 57090 Vocational Road in Senecaville. Classes for this college begin on Jan. 7, 2010, from 6:30-9 p.m.
Advance registration is required – classes fill early. For information, call Nye at the Clinton County Extension Office, 937-382-0901 or e-mail nye.1@osu.edu