The mission of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) at Tufts University is to assist people with limited resources who have an interest in small-scale commercial agriculture, to begin farming in Massachusetts. The broader goals of New Entry are to support the vitality and sustainability of the region’s agriculture, to build long term economic self-reliance and food security among participants and their communities, and to expand access to high-quality, culturally appropriate foods in underserved areas through production of locally-grown foods.

Tufts is now registering students for the next Explore Farming! course. These courses take place on a rolling basis, and the next class will be scheduled once an adequate number of students have enrolled. The class meets for one or two sessions, and is taught three or four times per year.

During the class you will discuss some of the challenges and rewards of farm ownership, as opposed to other means of satisfying your interest in farming. A primary goal of the course is to encourage you to think realistically about the financial feasibility of starting and growing your own farm businesses. Most of the participants have worked on farms for at least one season, and know that they love farming, but are interested in learning how to start their own farm businesses. Whether you decide to pursue starting your own farm business, or would rather continue farming in another way, Tufts has lots of resources to help you move forward in your farming career.  For more information log on to www.nesfp.nutrition.tufts.edu.