Davidson and Sumner County Farm Fundamentals
Extension Education
Shana Los
Nashville
Abstract
According to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, Davidson County, Tennessee, has approximately 225 new and beginning farmers. As larger farms are subdivided into smaller acreage tracts, more individuals are entering agriculture with limited or no prior farming experience. This growing demographic has increased demand for Extension programming that provides foundational agricultural knowledge and practical skills for starting and managing small-scale farm enterprises. To address this need, UT Extension developed the Farm Fundamentals program, a two-day educational workshop designed to introduce beginning farmers to farm business planning, financial management, and agricultural production practices. The program was conducted over two consecutive Fridays and incorporated both classroom instruction and hands-on learning experiences through visits to local farm operations. Day one focused on farm business management and was held at Green Door Gourmet, an agritourism and CSA farm in Nashville, Tennessee. Participants worked with a Farm Finance Specialist to develop farm business plans and learned about financial statements, tax considerations, and agritourism enterprises. Day two included visits to Strasser Farms and Bradley Kountry Acres, where participants received instruction on forage management, livestock production, soil testing, and fruit and vegetable production. Evaluation results indicated that 97% of participants reported increased knowledge, 83% implemented skills learned in their own operations, and 93% reported they were very likely to recommend the program to others. Participants also valued the opportunity to engage with both beginning and experienced farmers, which helped them identify attainable first steps toward developing their farming enterprises.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: Shana DeLozier-Los
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DeLozier-Los, S. Davidson County Agriculture Agent , University of Tennessee, Tennessee, 37219