Registration now open for webinar series

Building Your Farm Future: Practical Steps for New Farmers Webinar Series

Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Building Your Farm Future: Practical Steps for New Farmers

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Capital Area Agriculture and Horticulture Program is launching a six-week online course designed to help aspiring and beginning farmers build confidence and skills needed to start and successfully manage a farm business. The series begins January 21, 2026, and runs weekly through February 25, 2026. Each webinar will last 2 hours and start at 6:30 PM.

This course is designed to help aspiring and beginning farmers to:

Build confidence in their ability to start and run a farm business.
Gain a deeper understanding of resources needed for success.
Identify personal knowledge gaps and learn where to find help.
Explore available resources for starting and managing a farm business.

Course Schedule:

Week 1 (Jan 21): Introspection, Goal Setting, and Vision – Skills and resource assessment, business planning basics, regulations, and available resources.
Week 2 (Jan 28): Livestock Focus – What to consider when thinking about raising livestock and understanding insurance needs.
Week 3 (Feb 4): Infrastructure Focus – What land resources should I consider for my farm exploring business structures.
Week 4 (Feb 11): Fruit & Vegetable Focus – What to consider when thinking about growing fruits and vegetables and conducting enterprise analysis.
Week 5 (Feb 18): Ornamental Horticulture Focus – What to consider when thinking about growing cut flowers and understanding tax implications.
Week 6 (Feb 25): Business Planning & Marketing – Financing options, market planning, and wrapping up the business plan.