Labor of Love: Building and Sustaining Your Farming Business

Most of the world’s farms can be classified as small, grossing less than $250,000 per year. And yet, studies show that small farms are more productive and efficient than large ones. The small farm model can also be a vehicle for improving soil fertility, air and water quality, healthier and more diverse animal, plant, and human populations, and fostering greater social equity, cohesion, and well-being. The USDA lists the public value of small farms as: Diversity; Environmental benefits; Empowerment and community responsibility; Places for families; Personal connection to food; and Economic foundations. But small farmers face many challenges.

Small-Scale Farming in Mendocino and Lake County: Successes and Challenges ~ an open discussion with local farmers and guest speaker Gowan Batist and John Bailey, Director at University of California Hopland Research and Extension Center, and facilitated by Sydney Grange of Meadow Farm.