Although many of us are a few generations removed from having a family member engaged in commercial farming, there are people today who still want to steward the land, grow healthy food, and build community connections through farming. How does someone become a farmer today? With steep land prices, the significant capital required to launch a farm business, and all of the knowledge needed to produce food and run an agricultural enterprise, getting started in farming is a challenge. With an aging farmer population and more than half of our land base predicted to change hands in the next two decades, who will have the knowledge and skills to grow our food and steward the land? Learn about the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project’s strategies to support next generation farmers to get started in agriculture today, build expertise in the field, and support a thriving local food system.

Jennifer Hashley, is Director of New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, a beginning farmer training program, (http://www.nesfp.org) and a vegetable and livestock farmer in Lincoln, MA. Jennifer holds a Master’s in Agricultural Policy from Tufts and a BS in Environmental Science from Indiana University. She hopes to keep sustainable farms thriving in New England and beyond.

The session will be held at 7:30 at Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester on Wednesday, July 25 in our beautiful 1827 Barn, and will be followed up with a Q&A session. We will also offer a casual supper before each presentation. For more details, check out our website, http://wlfarm.org, or to RSVP, email Kim Kneeland at kkneeland@wlfarm.org.