Resources
This page contains various resources to help beginning farmers find information for their needs. If you know of any resources that may be helpful that we can add to this list, please contact us at growers@ksu.edu
Grower Resource Needs Assessment
Growing Growers received a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) Grant for 2024-2027.
Part of this project is to develop resources for beginning urban and peri-urban vegetable farmers. This survey aims to collect data from beginning and established farmers to determine what type of resources should be created and what topics should be covered by said resources.
The survey is available in the following languages:
Growing Growers | KSU Extension Publications
These KSU Extension publications cover irrigation systems, climate adaptation, transplant production, equipment safety, wholesale marketing, food safety regulations, and seasonal planting schedules for vegetable growers. The files below are PDFs.
Beginner Farmer Resources
- Cultivate KC’s Land Linking Resources (KC FarmLink)
- National Young Farmers Coalition
- SARE Learning Center
- MU Extension’s Local Food Finder
- USDA New Farmers
- ATTRA Sustainable AgricultureCornell Small Farms Program
- MSU Beginning Farmer Resources
- BeginningFarmers.org
- Farm Commons
- Greenhorns Guidebook Series
- This Old House’s Guide to Agrivoltaics
- DGA National
- Quivira Coalition-New Agrarian Program
- Finances and the Farm-Online Financial Course
- Kansas Rural Center’s Farm Beginnings Program
- YouTube
Local Resources
- Kansas State University Extension: Agriculture
- Kansas State University Food Safety
- University of Missouri’s Farmer’s Corner
- University of Missouri Extension: Horticulture
- Lincoln University Cooperative Extension
- Cultivate KC
- The Food Circle
- Kansas Rural Center
- Kansas City Food Hub
- Kansas Specialty Crop Growers Association
- West Central Missouri Community Action Agency
- KC Farm School at Gibbs Road
- KC Young F.A.R.M.E.R.S Coalition & Mini Grant Program
Grant Opportunities
Apprenticeship Program Textbooks
- The New Seed-Starters Handbook (Rodale Organic Gardening)
- The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman
- The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman
- Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw
- SARE Building Soils for Better Crops
- SARE Building a Sustainable Business
- SARE Managing Cover Crops Profitably
- SARE Resource Guide for Organic Insect and Disease Management
- SARE Farmer’s Guide to Business Structures
- SARE Manage Insects on Your Farm
- Sustainable Vegetable Production From Start-Up to Market by Vernon P. Grubinger
- Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers
- Production of Vegetables, Strawberries and Cut Flowers Using Plasticulture
- NRCS Soil Biology Primer
KC Region Partner Websites
Workshop Materials & Videos
- For workshop materials, please email growers@ksu.edu.
- Some online presentations are available to watch online on our Youtube channel: