Small Farms

Colorado lost more than 1 million acres of farm land from 1997 -2002. As markets vary and farm land continues to be sold to development, the urgency to help farmers stay on the land increases. The USDA National Commission on Small Farms defines small farms as “farms with less than $250,000 gross receipts annually on which day-to-day labor and management are provided by the farmer and/or farm family that owns the production or owns, or leases, the productive assets…[these have an average] net cash income of only $23,159…over 80% of a farmers gross sales are absorbed by farming expenses.”

Listservs and Classifieds	Funding and Financing
Colorado Building Farmers	Advocacy and Publications
Beginning Farmer Resources	Boulder County Parks and Open Space
Business and Marketing Resources	Government Resources
Production Resources	Media and Advocacy
Food Systems and Ag Policy	Urban Farming/ Urban Agriculture

Subscribe to the Small Farms listserv at CSU

Go to the CSU listserv and select “Small_Farms” from the list and fill out the form

This listserv is intended to connect, support, and promote small farms in Colorado with news, educational outreach, and production and marketing related info. It also is unmoderated, meaning that anyone subscribed to it can send emails to everyone on the list, providing a forum for discussion of small farms issues. SINCE THIS IS A CSU LISTSERV, NO COMMERCIAL EMAILS PLEASE.

Boulder County Small Farm listserv

boco_small_farms@lists.colostate.edu – similar to small_farms@lists.colostate.edu but specifically for Boulder County (some duplicate postings are possible on both). Email Adrian Card and request subscription

Colorado Small Farm Classifieds

Specifications and online Submission Form – Published first week of each month, monthly January – June, then November classifieds listing

Jan 2019

Exploring a Market Farm Business

Factsheet with questions and resources for those interested in starting a Market Farm

Building Farmers in the West

CSU Extension program for beginning farmer development

Business Planning Resources

“Building a Sustainable Business” entire publication: http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books ; BSB sections found at: http://www.misa.umn.edu/Publications/BuildingaSustainableBusiness/
Ag Plan – online business plan tool – https://www.agplan.umn.edu/ and register for Ag Plan and select an “Ag -Value Added” template

Colorado Community Supported Agriculture Surveys

2009 Survey Summary

Boulder County Farmer to Chef Program

Results of Online Survey of 2007 program

Custom Small Farm Operators for Boulder County Area

2007 Custom Operators listing – working to build a listing of people with tractors and implements to do work for hire on small farms in the area. Please email acard@co.boulder.co.us if you would like to be added to this list.