Beginning Farmer Workshop a success

To view all the pictures, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/ksfarmersunion/sets/72157632631813825/

Over 30 beginning and aspiring farmers attended Kansas Farmers Union’s Beginning Farmer Workshop in Leonardville on Jan. 26. The workshop featured a day full of speakers, including Kansas ag professionals and seven producers.

The first speaker was KFU President Donn Teske, who addressed the financial aspect of farming.

“Everybody, no matter your age, need to do a balance sheet and a budget for every aspect of your operation,” Teske said. “I highly encourage you to put your operation on paper. You’re more likely to make it happen that way.”

Teske talked about the different entities in Kansas that provide loans and assistance to beginning farmers, including FSA, USDA Rural Development, Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Development Finance Authority, Kansas Small Business Development Center and Kansas Ag Mediation Service (KAMS).

“Don’t underestimate your local, community bank. They’re your neighbors,” Teske said.

Char Henton and Becky O’Donnell explained their work at KAMS. Henton said many people don’t understand what they do, basically they are there to help answer any question related to agriculture. Simply call their hotline 1-800-321-FARM.

“Every call is unique, diverse and important,” Henton said. “We’ve gotten the image, to call us when everything goes wrong. You don’t have to be in trouble to call us. We’re glad to help anyone and everyone.”

KAMS does have close connections with farm financial analysts, mediators and an attorney on staff. They have a grant that allows them to offer many of these services at a reduced cost.

Barb Depew talked about Kansas’ Farm-to-School program. She said they want to make more local fruits and vegetables available in school cafeterias, offer farm tours for school children and have farmers visit classrooms.

For more information about how to sell or donate your produce to Kansas schools, visit kn-eat.org.

Rhonda Janke, an ag professor in K-State’s Horticulture department, talked about what her students are doing with vegetable and fruit production at Willow Lake Farm, a K-State Extension organic garden. They call themselves the Harvesters of Environmental Sustainability and organize work parties during the year to take care of the garden.

Charlie Griffin with the Kansas State University, addressed the thin line between business and family in agriculture.

“On the farm, family and business happen together,” Griffin said. “The weakest link is often human relationship management.”

“Farm Transition planning is much more than estate planning,” Griffin said.

Griffin said some of the challenges include knowing and understanding who makes decisions and how they are made, the absence of a shared sense of purpose, and the lack of formal structure.

“Successful businesses have conflict. The difference of opinion makes business thrive,” Griffin said. “The problem is when the ‘swords’ come out. Look at the diversity of thinking and how it makes you successful.”

Griffin said the hardest thing is starting the discussion. He suggested to ask, “what do you think?”, listen, and then walk away and come back to it after a few days. He also encouraged finding a neutral person to facilitate the discussion.

Bernard Irvine, an ag law attorney from Manhattan, discussed the different ways to do create a farm/ranch business, including LLCs, Corporations and Partnerships.

He warned to only enter into Partnerships with people you trust financially. He said there is unlimited contractual liability.

“If you have any uncertainty on your partner’s ability to make financial decisions, be careful,” Irvine said.

Irvine also spoke about liability protection and answered a lot of questions from the crowd. He stressed the importance of communication with your insurance agent, “to ensure that everything you are doing is covered.”

“Liability protection is never absolute and proper insurance is important,” Irvine said. “Although, the easiest thing to do is get rid of risk.”

He strongly suggested having written leases, as opposed to oral agreements, with a clear list of responsibilities. Extension offices have lease agreement forms.

Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte talked about how Extension can help farmers succeed. He said Extension is grassroots, “if counties have a problem, we ask K-State to research it and they get results.”

He stressed the importance of clearly communicating with your local Extension agent, and to give them the “whole picture.”

“The more specific the information you give to me, the more I can help you,” Otte said. “When you’re wondering about something, ask Extension, and keep bugging us until you find the information you need. If they can’t tell you how it can work, don’t think it can’t work.”

A panel of seven producers with different backgrounds from across Kansas explained their operations and answered questions from attendees.

Warren Sutton of Norway, explained his green bean operation. He showed pictures of his green bean picker that is attached to his tractor and the sorting machine.

Chris Janssen of Scandia, discussed how he grows tomatoes, lettuce and spinach in three high tunnels.

“At farmers markets, the early bird gets the worm,” Janssen said. “If you have tomatoes first, people will come to you all summer.”

Ed Reznicek, Kansas Organic Producers general manager, said organic farming can reduce capital needs when starting out. He said with most organic products, there is more market and demand than there is supply.

Dan Kuhn of Courtland talked about growing acres of pumpkins, watermelons, cucumbers and more. He said he also sells a lot of fall decorating crops, like gourds and unique pumpkins. Kuhn also runs and sells his produce at Depot Market from June to Halloween.

Darrell Parks of Manhattan has been certified organic since 1996 with a diversified operation of livestock and crops.

“There is now an opportunity for a person to make money in hogs, if you are willing to do things differently, like our grandparents did,” Parks said. “There are customers out there that want something different than in the grocery store.”

Jason Schmidt of Newton grew up on a farm, but has recently returned and is trying to find where he fits. He has made some arrangements with farmers that are close to retirement and is slowly taking over his family’s dairy.

Schmidt raises sheep, chickens and turkeys at his home, which he rents from an experienced organic farmer in the area. He has set up an arrangement with a local retiring farmer to manage some pasture ground in Sedgwick County. He also raised grass fed beef on a retiring farmers’ pasture in Marion County.

“A great way to get into farming is to hitch up with an older farmer,” Schmidt said.

Dale Strickler of Jamestown is a grazing specialist and sells seed for Star Seed. He said cover crops have been a great thing for his operation.

Strickler has made arrangements with area farmers to plant cover crops on their corn acres, he rents the ground and grazes it, then they plant it back to corn. He said the cover crops add organic matter to the soil and one farmer saw a 50 bushel/acre increase in his corn crop afterwards.