Business Of Farming Course

UConn Extension is offering the Business of Farming Course designed for farmers who have 0 – 3 years of experience operating a farm business, but it is open to beginning farmers who may have been operating for more than 3 years.

Participants will learn how to create and develop a business plan using the AgPlan web application. The course will also provide information on marketing, branding, financial management, filing taxes, legal business formation, crop and liability insurance, local town and state regulations plus helpful resources from the state, USDA and local farm organizations.

Cost: $50
Farmers must attend all 5 sessions to receive completion (see session info below)

Sign up here: s.uconn.edu/businessoffarming

Session 1
Date: January 22nd, 2026
Time: 10:00am-1:30pm
Location: Meriden Public Library Room 1

Session 2
Date: January 29th, 2026
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Virtual

Session 3
Date: February 5th, 2026
Time: 10:00am-1:30pm
Location: Wallingford Public Library Community Room

Session 4
Date: February 12th, 2026
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Virtual

Session 5
Date: February 19th, 2026
Time: 10:00am-2:30pm
Location: Meriden Public Library, Room 6

Learn how to properly maintain and sharpen your hand tools. Bring in your hand tools: Clippers, hand hoes, harvest knives, shovels, scuffle hoes, and more! You will learn the basic concepts of sharpening and how to properly sharpen “light” tools such as pruners to “heavy” tools such as shovels. We will provide files to work with and go over regular care to get the most out of your tools. (lunch will be provided) 

Date: January 31
Time: 9:30-12:30
Location: Rockville High School

Sign Up Here: secure.touchnet.com/C21646_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=6612

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Tool Sharpening II

Join us for this next level tool sharpening training. This class will focus on introducing you to using power tools, such as a bench grinder, to sharpen heavy tools AND serve as a chance for you to bring your own tools that have been a challenge to sharpen. Together we will workshop these challenges so you can leave with a properly sharpened tool! We recommend attending this course if you already have some knowledge of tool sharpening, or if you took our Tool Sharpening I training, since we will dive right into the hands-on training. (lunch will be provided)

Date: February 21
Time: 9:30-12:30
Location: Rockville High School

Sign Up Here: secure.touchnet.com/C21646_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=6615

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Small Engine I

Learn the basics of troubleshooting and how repair the small engines you use on your farm! This is a course for beginners, going over how small engines work and basic maintenance. We cover both 2 stroke and 4 stroke gas engines. This classis a prerequisite to our 2 stroke and 4 stroke small engine repair courses. Food will be provided. 

Date: February 25
Time: 4:30pm-7:30pm
Location: Middletown High School

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Small Engine II (4 Stroke)

Gain hands-on experience working on 4-stroke engines; string trimmers, walk behind tillers, log splitters and more. Bring your own engines and we can troubleshoot any problems you’ve been having or walk through how to take the engine apart and maintain your machine. We recommend attending this course if you already have some knowledge of how engines work, or if you took our Small Gas Engine Basics Course, since we will dive right into the hands-on training.  (Dinner will be provided) 

Date: March 11
Time: 4:30pm-7:30pm
Location: Middletown High School

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Women's Chainsaw

Intro to safe chainsaw operation. Students will learn about PPE, work area safety, basic saw maintenance, chain sharpening, and how to develop a felling plan. Each student will have a chance to fell their own tree. You may bring your own saw or use one that will be provided by the instructor. (Lunch will be provided)

Date: March 21
Time: 9:30-3:30
Location: UConn Forest

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Small Engine II (2 Stroke)

Gain hands-on experience taking apart a 2-stroke engine; chainsaws, lawn mowers, pumps and more. Learn how to diagnose some of the common problems you may encounter. Bring your own machines and we can troubleshoot any problems you’ve been having or show you how to take the engine apart. We recommend attending this course if you already have some knowledge of how engines work, or if you took our Small Gas Engine Basics Course, since we will dive right into the hands-on training. (Dinner will be provided) 

Date: March 25
Time: 4:30pm-7:30pm
Location: Middletown High School

Sign Up Here: secure.touchnet.com/C21646_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=6619

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To see all of our Winter 25-26 Offerings, check out the flyer HERE

This 3-part VIRTUAL workshop series for producers will demonstrate key best practices for on-farm food safety. Improving your food safety competency and skill will accelerate your opportunity to sell to schools and other alternative wholesale outlets. Led by farmers and food safety experts, you will complete a self-assessment, develop timelines for implementing improvements, and draft standard operating procedures (SOPs). Attendance at all 3 workshops strongly urged as topics build and complement. Each workshop includes workspace do the work for food safety implementation.

Farmers who attend all 3 sections and submit SOP(s) and improvement plans will receive a 'Certificate of Completion' from UConn Extension. An SOP is validation to show schools that you have done this work an improvement plan gives you a framework for utilizing grant resources to improve your farm food safety.

Sign up here: secure.touchnet.com:443/C21646_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=6602

Cost: FREE
Dates: Mondays Feb 2nd, 9th, and 23rd
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams