Starting a Farm

This introduction is part of the online publication "From Surviving to Thriving: Strategies for Urban Farm Sucess. It’s been raining for weeks, the weeds are strangling your crops, it seems like there are fewer customers at the farmers market every week, your landlord just called to say your rent is going up, your summer helpers decided they would rather work indoors, and on top of it all that unrealistic Extension Agent keeps bugging you to write a business plan.

Maryland Beginning Farmer Success Guidebook section covering topics such as, Formulate a Farm Strategy, Organic Production and Certification, Understanding Farm Equipment Needs, Food Safety Overview, Resources and Web links, Enterprise Selection Review

Advice for those currently growing or considering cultivating mushrooms in Maryland, from the 1st Annual Mushroom Growers Symposium

Building a good food safety plan is a top priority for a new and beginning farm business. Food safe is incredibly important for every farm, regardless of size, methods of production, or marketing outlets. It is a common misconception that food safety and the need to implement the practices necessary to mitigate contamination of fresh produce are problems of scale, concerns only for larger farms.

Provides guiding principles for beginning farmers working with food safety regulations and important topics to explore in food safety.

Farm Establishment for Maryland Beginning Farmers. Includes information on: Considerations for Acquiring a Farm Property, Understanding Zoning For New Farm Enterprises, Understanding Soil and Soil Health, Overview of Farmland Preservation in Maryland, Resources and Web links, and Farm Establishment Review.

As with any business, your farm operation is subject to several laws and regulations. Farm operations also receive several exceptions or special provision regarding taxes, land operations and the like. This page provides a short listing of the commonly required permits or certifications for a farm.

Brought to you by the Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center, a University of Maryland Extension Program: Direct marketing and value-added processing of your raw farm products are two of the best management strategies for farmers to employ to improve their net profitability. Value-added products can open new markets, enhance the public’s appreciation for locally produced food and farms, and extend the marketing.