One of the hardest challenges for beginning farmers is financial. No one really wants to lend them money. However, with most of the country’s farmers over the age of 60, there is a growing need to get more people into the business, pronto. Luckily, society is starting to head off the disaster before it occurs, and several groups fund grants, education, and other aid for beginning farmers.
Several months back, we encountered a fantastic opportunity sponsored by a local nonprofit in conjunction with the Oregon state government. It’s a three-to-one matching grant for new businesses in food production and distribution. We were each awarded a grant, which will be a big help to us a few years from now when the grant matures.
As part of the grant’s requirements, we have to attent some financial literacy classes. So far, the classes are pretty general and conceptual. This week, we talked a lot about financial goalsetting, and each of us in the class made collages to represent our long-term goals. The results are generally kept private, but they were so interesting (especially when you compare Emily’s and mine) that I am going to post ours. You can click on them to get a larget version. Enjoy!
