Contact
NickKansas Beginning Farmer Coalition & Kansas Farmers Union
785-527-0941
kansasbeginningfarmers@gmail.com
Nationally-recognized Farmer Veteran to Talk Poultry
All beginning farmers and ranchers are invited to a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunities meeting at Cloud County Community College in Concordia, KS, Thursday, November 20, from 4:00 to 9:00 PM, hosted by Kansas Farmers Union and the Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition.
The meeting’s featured speaker is Dan Hromas, owner and operator of Prairie Pride Poultry, a small pastured chicken operation located on the northeast edge of York, Nebraska. Hromas started the farm in 2013 in order to support the growing local food movement by providing healthy, farm fresh eggs to area consumers.
Featured North Central Kansas producer panelists include Dan Kuhn, produce and pumpkin grower of “The Depot Market” near Courtland; Warren Sutton, green bean and pumpkin grower near Norway; Chris and Christi Janssen, high tunnel produce growers and CSA distributors in Scandia; Dan Stehlik, sheep producer near Concordia, plus a number of other specialty crop and livestock producers from the surrounding area.
Republic County Farm Service Agency executive director Tamie Buckley will discuss the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), and USDA FSA farm loan manager Emily Allen will be discuss recent changes to the Beginning Farmer microloan program. Linda Sutton from the NCK Small Business Development Center will also be on hand discuss business planning and management tools provided by her office.
about Dan Hromas and Prairie Pride Poultry
“At the farm, we pride ourselves on the humane treatment of the flock of heritage Rhode Island Red chickens,” Hromas says. “The farm’s standards and practices are conducive to a happy and healthy flock.” Coops are moved around the acreage, each one having plenty of floor area, roosting space, and nesting boxes. The flock’s pasture diet is supplemented with feed that does not contain any chemicals, hormones, antibiotics, or animal byproducts. The feed also comes from a local cooperative that recently achieved HACCP Certification, the highest level of accreditation for food safety in the United States.
In addition to providing the local community with farm fresh eggs, Prairie Pride Poultry also assists in educating consumers and potential farmers about the “Incredible Edible Egg” by sharing interesting facts and information about the widely used and versatile protein source, as well as fostering an environment where everyone can feel welcome and connected to the farm. “I’ve engaged local communities through the York Chamber of Commerce, establishing a great working relationship with Grand Central Grocery in York and participating in the Center for Rural Affairs “Farm to School” initiative by selling eggs to York Public Schools, setting up at local farmer’s markets, and raising awareness about importance of a healthy diet that can include eggs,” Hromas says.
Before working on the farm, Hromas served in the U.S. military in Iraq. He also served as a Captain in the Nebraska Army National Guard as a Transportation Corps Officer. Hromas notes, “I am fortunate enough to have had my hard work receive national recognition through the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s national marketing campaign, “Homegrown by Heroes.” I have utilized services from the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, Center for Rural Affairs, and the Farmer Veteran Coalition as a platform for outreach to other fellow disabled military veterans so that they know a future exists for them in the field of agriculture.”
Hromas was recently honored by the White House as a Disability Employment Champion of Change. Disability Employment Champions of Change have done extraordinary work to make workplaces more accessible, and to create employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. “I am honored to receive this Champions of Change award. I hope that other veterans with disabilities will similarly find their own entrepreneurship opportunities, gaining meaningful employment and contributing to their local communities,” he said.
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about registration fees and the evening meal
The only cost to attendees is the evening meal, which will be less than $10.00 per person, and can be paid as you go through the meal line.
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Order when you RSVP and
we'll bring your book on November 20!
Contrary to popular belief, a good living can be made on an organic farm. What’s required is farming smarter, not harder.
In The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook, Richard Wiswall shares advice on how to make your vegetable production more efficient, better manage your employees and finances, and turn a profit. From his twenty-seven years of experience at Cate Farm in Vermont, Wiswall knows firsthand the joys of starting and operating an organic farm—as well as the challenges of making a living from one. Farming offers fundamental satisfaction from producing food, working outdoors, being one’s own boss, and working intimately with nature. But, unfortunately, many farmers avoid learning about the business end of farming; because of this, they often work harder than they need to, or quit farming altogether because of frustrating—and often avoidable—losses.
A companion CD offers valuable business tools, including easy-to-use spreadsheets for projecting cash flow, a payroll calculator, comprehensive crop budgets for forty different crops, and tax planners.
Contrary to popular belief, a good living can be made on an organic farm. What’s required is farming smarter, not harder.
In The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook, Richard Wiswall shares advice on how to make your vegetable production more efficient, better manage your employees and finances, and turn a profit. From his twenty-seven years of experience at Cate Farm in Vermont, Wiswall knows firsthand the joys of starting and operating an organic farm—as well as the challenges of making a living from one. Farming offers fundamental satisfaction from producing food, working outdoors, being one’s own boss, and working intimately with nature. But, unfortunately, many farmers avoid learning about the business end of farming; because of this, they often work harder than they need to, or quit farming altogether because of frustrating—and often avoidable—losses.
In this comprehensive business kit, Wiswall covers:
- Step-by-step procedures to make your crop production more efficient
- Advice on managing employees, farm operations, and office systems
- Novel marketing strategies
- What to do with your profits: business spending, investing, and planning for retirement
A companion CD offers valuable business tools, including easy-to-use spreadsheets for projecting cash flow, a payroll calculator, comprehensive crop budgets for forty different crops, and tax planners.
- See more at: http://www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/item/the_organic_farmers_business_handbook/#sthash.xo7OoEZ6.dpufabout Kansas Farmers Union & Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition
Kansas Farmers Union Foundation was awarded a grant from our friends at Farm Aid to support KFU’s Kansas Beginning Farmers Coalition through the Cultivating Connections: Creating a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Network in Kansas project.
This project will engage and inform beginning farmers and ranchers through the developm
ent of online resources, and encourage producers to explore innovative production, management and nance strategies. This project will empower farmers and ranchers to seek solutions to shared opportunities and challenges while becoming stronger advocates for state and national policies and programs that support beginning farmers and encourage financially viable land transfers.
Additionally, the project launches a campaign to increase awareness among current KFU members of opportunities to support and mentor beginning farmers and maximizes the development of relationships across generations and experience levels.
For more information, please visit our website.
