Scaling up your Vegetable Operation: Field Day and Lunch at Dowell Farm and Gardens

This workshop will be an in-field demonstration and training to cover important topics for those who want to scale up their vegetable farm sales. Three experienced farmers will discuss selecting appropriate crops and seed varieties, soil health, irrigation systems, high tunnels, grading, packing, low-cost post harvest equipment/infrastructure, record keeping, and funding improvements through federal farm programs.

The co-hosts for this event are Wililyn Dowell, of Dowell Farm and Gardens, and Erik Heimark, of Maple Ridge Produce in Aitkin, who is also a farm finance instructor at Central Lakes College. Both are trained Connectors with Go Farm Connect, experienced in helping other farmers connect with USDA farm programs and staff. They will be joined by USDA staff from the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service who will explain disaster assistance, insurance, loans, cost share grants and other federal support available for farmers, including an explanation of the deadlines to…