Beginning Farmer Pathway
This Beginning Farmer Pathway is an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure guide designed to help new and aspiring farmers navigate their next steps with confidence. By answering a few questions about your land, goals, and experience, you’ll be guided to practical resources you need to get started on your farming journey. This guide was inspired by the Purdue University Beginning Farmer Workbook.
How it Works
Start at the top and follow the questions that best match your situation. Each choice will lead you to a resource page with targeted learning materials, tools, and guides to support your decisions.
Step 1: Envisioning Your Farm
It's important to think about your goals, lifestyle, and the role your farm will play in your family, community, and finances—both now and in the future. Use pages 10-16 of NC State University's Getting Into Farming Workbook to start envisioning your dream farm.
Step 2: Understanding Your Starting Point
Think about your current situation and challenges, including land ownership, land quality, and capital. The questions below are just a few to get you on the right track.
Do you currently have land or plan to secure land for your farm?
I have land (proceed to next question)
Do you have a plan to fund your farm?
Yes, I have a funding plan (proceed to next question)
Have you done a soil test?
Yes (proceed to next question)
Do you have a water source on your land?
Yes, I have a reliable water source (proceed to Step 3)
Step 3: Understanding Your Resources
Farming takes a lot of resources and planning, but you don't need to start from scratch. Use pages 8-15 of Purdue University's Beginning Farmer Workbook to help you think through what resources you already have and what resources you still need to acquire to be successful on your farm.
Step 4: Defining Your Focus
Think about what excites you most about starting a farm and what makes sense for your unique farming situation, including soil and water considerations, available space, labor, and budget. Whether you’re interested in crops, livestock, or a combination of both, defining your focus will be important for finding the right production, business, and management resources to support your next steps.
Pages 33-44 of the Purdue University Beginning Farmer Workbook contains helpful templates for thinking through your farm goals.
Step 5: Launching Your Farm
As you begin putting your plans into action, connecting with trusted technical assistance providers can help you navigate production, business planning, and marketing decisions. Many organizations offer individualized guidance, mentoring, and hands-on support tailored to beginning farmers. Building these relationships can help your farm grow successfully. You can also return to our Curriculum Library for additional resources.
Looking for more? Check out farmanswers.org, the largest source of information for beginning farmers.
