Greetings!

Please pass this along to any beginning farmers/aspiring farmers/students who might benefit. People can save $35 by getting their registration form in the mail by Saturday September 19. The regular registration deadline is October 5. A limited number of scholarships are also available (see below for more details).

Thanks,

Beth

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*Women’s Agricultural Network Course Helps Ag Entrepreneurs Plan for Success*

Burlington, VT – This fall, the University of Vermont Extension Women’s Agricultural Network will offer on-line and in person sessions of Growing Places, a pre-business planning course for people interested in starting or expanding an agricultural business. The next in-person session will be held in Burlington on six consecutive Thursday evenings beginning October 15.

No prior experience is necessary, and people interested in all types of farm enterprises are welcome.

 “Growing Places is designed to help ag entrepreneurs get off to the right start in business planning and development,” says WAgN Coordinator Beth Holtzman.

Growing Places participants develop goals for themselves and their businesses, become more familiar with financing options, identify and evaluate available resources, examine marketing strategies, and learn about agencies and organizations that provide support and assistance to farmers.

“The course covered a lot of topics at a reasonable depth, giving us concrete information as well as a lot of food for thought,” said a recent Growing Places graduate. “Now I feel much more confident about what I need to do next and how I should operate my business.”

Since 1995, more than 300 people have completed Growing Places. WAgN both in person and on-line versions of the class. People for whom travel time, family and work commitments make participation in an in-person class difficult, may find the on-line course a good option.
Individuals with slower Internet connections, who prefer “live” interaction, or who are less comfortable with written communication may prefer the classroom setting.

Growing Places Courses will be offered as follows in the fall of 2009 and winter of 2010:

* Burlington, Vt., Thursdays, 5:30-8:30 pm., Oct. 15, 22, 29 and Nov. 5, 12, and 19;
* Fall 2009 Online Session: Starts Nov. 16; ends Dec. 21;
* Winter 2010 Online Session: Starts Jan. 11; ends Feb. 22.

To register for /Growing Places/, please visit
http://www.uvm.edu/wagn/?Page=education/growing_places.html&SM=education/sub-menu.html. You will find more information and downloadable registration forms there. To have a registration form mailed to you, please call Beth Holtzman at 802-223-2389.

Tuition for the course is $135. However, scholarships are available and there is a $35 discount for people who register by the early bird deadline (Sept. 19 for the Burlington session; October 17 for the fall online session and December 15 for the second online session). To qualify for early bird discounts, registrations must be postmarked by the deadline date.

Payment of $100 should accompany your registration, unless you are seeking a scholarship. In that case, send in your registration form by the registration deadline with a $25 deposit and a written scholarship request. To request a scholarship, please write a brief letter that explains why the registration fee represents a financial hardship for you at this time.

Make check or money order payable to UVM Extension/WAgN and mail to:

Women's Agricultural Network
617 Comstock Rd. Suite 5
Berlin, VT 05602.

You will receive confirmation of your registration along with some pre-class information. Individuals requiring special accommodations or financial assistance to participate in this program should contact the Women's Agricultural Network Main Office at (802) 223-2389 x15 three weeks before the registration deadline. If you require accommodations to participate in this program, please contact WAgN by the early bird deadline for the session in which you wish to enroll.

University of Vermont Extension, and US Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, natinal origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.
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Beth Holtzman
Outreach Education Coordinator
Women's Agricultural Network
University of Vermont Extension
617 Comstock Rd.
Berlin, VT 05602
617 Comstock Rd.
Berlin, VT 05602

[log in to unmask]
802-223-2389x15
www.uvm.edu/wagn
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