Maryland Beginning Farmer Success Course

The Maryland Beginning Farmer Success Course is a ten-week introduction to the foundational topics an aspiring farmer in Maryland should know. Topics covered will include business planning, marketing, crop production, livestock husbandry, soil health, pestmanagement, food safety, and regulations and certifications. Additional elective resources will cover more specialized topics, such as organic production, urban agriculture, and direct marketing to local customers.

The course will be offered virtually, in a blended at-your-own-pace and live (asynchronous and synchronous) format. At-your-own-pace lessons will be completed on the course page at eXtension.org Campus. Weekly live Q&As with Extension educators, farmers, and agricultural service providers will be available to participants who complete the week’s homework.

The deadline to register for the course is Monday, February 1, 2021.

Live sessions will be weekly on Thursday nights, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, starting with an orientation to the course on Thursday, February 4. The last session will be Thursday, April 8.

Registration for the course is $40, plus eventbrite fees. If the registration cost is a barrier to your participation, please fill out this application for a reduced-cost need-based scholarship: https://ume.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_06QwgaBZ6qVczyZ

Digital versions of the course textbooks are available for free. Print copies of the course textbooks are available for the cost of shipping.