Online resources on farming?

Mikkel Ebbesen

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Hey folks!

Great forum and discussions, you have here. It's probably one of the most active and enganging communities, I have seen! And I hope that some of you are willing to share some of your insights with me:

What's your experience using online resources on farming practices?

And if you would to know the reason, why I'm asking, here you go.
I'm an employee at a Danish manor, Ausumgaard (www.ausumgaard.dk), where we strive to develop new niche products. For example, we have our brand and concept for pigs, born and raised outdoors, with no tail clipping and lots of straw :).

However, we are also working on another project called FoodKRAFT. And this is why I would like to ask you a favor. We want to enable farmers, both new and experienced, to share their knowledge and learn more about farming. We need to inspire more and better farmers if we are to feed the world in the future.

If any of you know Coursera, Udemy, or other online courses sites, this is exactly what we want to do, but focused on the world of agriculture. We believe in the power of online education, using instructional videos to convey what farming is really about: practice!

Thank you!

Cheers,
Mikkel
 

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Greetings and welcome to BYH. I'm no expert by any stretch and haven't used either of the course providers you mentioned. Both are for profit enterprises (it appears), and both seem more geared to professionals (again it appears) rather than a layman. I say this because as the site name (ours) implies, we are (predominantly) back yard "farmers"... not professionals or commercial level enterprises. Having said that, there are a few on here who actually do "farm for profit", or have in the past. While this site is geared toward "herds" and animal husbandry, there are sister sites geared toward agriculture, poultry, and self sufficiency (Links over there --->), that are again, geared toward the backyard enthusiast rather than a professional...

If I have need of information/knowledge, after this site, typically I'll go to YouTube and search for videos from many different sources regarding the subject I need help with. Or open internet searches looking for input from professional sources such as the Merk Vet manual or university studies that are public. Most of the time I can find what I need fairly quickly and having dealt with the immediate need, I move on to other things that demand my attention. I personally would not be in the market for formal education at this time, as I don't have the time or money to devote.

I would also guess/imagine that most here on this site are not in a financial position to pay for formal training/education, and presently operate their "hobby" farms at cost, sometimes considerable, and not for profit. I know a lot of folks here are "getting by" and don't really have a lot of extra money to put toward formal education :hide

I'm sure that I could learn something from formal education, and I expect it could make my farming more cost effective/productive over time. The thing is, what works in one place won't work in another, and location/climate is going to dictate local farming "best practices". That's a lot of ground to cover worldwide from an educational perspective. I'm not trying to feed the world, or even myself really... The food that I realize from my efforts is a bonus.. Just me.
 

Baymule

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There is an American site that does a lot of podcasts and videos, plus has an open forum for free. You might go look around on that site as well as this one. Sep Holtzer, in Austria is the inspiritation for this site. You can google for books and videos by Sep Holtzer too. I have a couple of his books.

www.permies.com

This site and the sister sites to this one (links are on the right of this page) are free forums for the members. We share our experiences, post pictures, ask questions and learn from one another.

Let me list some other links for you that might be a help to you.

http://www.polyfacefarms.com/

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/home/

I looked at the link you posted. I couldn't get it translated into English. Does Ausumgaard have an intern program to train new farmers?

I looked at the kraftcenter site also.

Is Ausumgaard and the Kraft Center training organic farmers, small or large farmers? Do you have a program for people that live in towns and cities, teaching them how to garden in order to raise some of their own food? And how is this received by the general public?

Glad that you found us and if we can be of any help to you, we'll be delighted to do so.
 

Mikkel Ebbesen

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Greetings and welcome to BYH. I'm no expert by any stretch and haven't used either of the course providers you mentioned. Both are for profit enterprises (it appears), and both seem more geared to professionals (again it appears) rather than a layman. I say this because as the site name (ours) implies, we are (predominantly) back yard "farmers"... not professionals or commercial level enterprises. Having said that, there are a few on here who actually do "farm for profit", or have in the past. While this site is geared toward "herds" and animal husbandry, there are sister sites geared toward agriculture, poultry, and self sufficiency (Links over there --->), that are again, geared toward the backyard enthusiast rather than a professional...

If I have need of information/knowledge, after this site, typically I'll go to YouTube and search for videos from many different sources regarding the subject I need help with. Or open internet searches looking for input from professional sources such as the Merk Vet manual or university studies that are public. Most of the time I can find what I need fairly quickly and having dealt with the immediate need, I move on to other things that demand my attention. I personally would not be in the market for formal education at this time, as I don't have the time or money to devote.

I would also guess/imagine that most here on this site are not in a financial position to pay for formal training/education, and presently operate their "hobby" farms at cost, sometimes considerable, and not for profit. I know a lot of folks here are "getting by" and don't really have a lot of extra money to put toward formal education :hide

I'm sure that I could learn something from formal education, and I expect it could make my farming more cost effective/productive over time. The thing is, what works in one place won't work in another, and location/climate is going to dictate local farming "best practices". That's a lot of ground to cover worldwide from an educational perspective. I'm not trying to feed the world, or even myself really... The food that I realize from my efforts is a bonus.. Just me.

Thank you for taking your time to come up with such a reply. It was very insightful. I'll allow myself to comment on a few of the things you mention.

You mention the fact that you are backyard "farmers". And who to target is actually one of the most important things for us to figure out. On the one hand side, you could say that professional farmers have the greatest need for knowledge, because their business depends on it, and they also have the money to spend. On the other hand side, being professionals, they already know what they are doing, while backyard "farmers" like yourself need to learn everything from the ground up.

Whenever you look for information or knowledge, is it then practical stuff you are looking for (e.g. how to set up a fence), or more theoretical insights (e.g. the digestive system of a goat)? And how do you choose whether to look for it on YouTube or in other sources?

Let's say you wanted formal education. Where would you go? I know how the agricultural school system works here in Denmark, but I'm curious about how it works elsewhere.

Finally, great points about both the ability to pay, and the importance of location.
 

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Generally when I'm looking for information it's pretty specific rather than general stuff. At the same time, the information I get has to be "simple" or "generic" enough that I can understand what I'm trying to learn and what it's trying to teach. Today, I've watched a you tube video on disbudding of kids (burning off their horns before growth). I've watched many in the past, but this link came up so I watched. I've never done it, but expect to have to within the next several months. Based on what I've seen I feel quite confident that I could do it successfully. I've also done research into colostrum and when it's effectiveness ends & how and where it's absorbed by the kid/lamb/baby... I may be reading in a thread and someone asks a question I feel I can answer but may do some quick research before posting. Or maybe I want to post a link to "back up" the information I'm posting. Or I may be doing something or planning something and want to do a little research before starting. Most of us here (I would guess) when we're doing online searches it's because one of our animals is having an issue/problem and we're seeking help to identify/cure the issue.

I mean, really, there are already universities and state colleges that have degree programs (bachelors, masters, doctorate) in animal husbandry, agriculture, all facets of farming, both traditional in classroom, and online. There are also lots of organizations/societies/etc. that offer training/course material for an amazing number of agricultural subjects. If I'm a beginner, and young, should I just enroll in a college curriculum and learn it before I get heavily involved in it? I would think if it will be a life pursuit; yes. But since I'm about to hit that magical age of 60, I have no desire to "start from scratch" and earn a degree. Farming will not be my life's pursuit... it's a hobby. In this country, youth in general is migrating away from farming in droves... They don't want to get their hands dirty. They've lost touch with where their food comes from. They want to sit behind a desk in air conditioned comfort, drinking their starbucks latte', earning big bucks and building up a 401K for their retirement. Most youth today is moving toward the city, not away.

Funny anecdotes... the climate change/global warming crowd have given some excellent quotes... They say farmers should stop producing cattle since their production of methane gas from burping and farting is hurting the environment. So if you ask them where will they get steak once the cattle farmers stop... their answer? The same place we get it now; at the grocery store of course... :he

It seems most of the folks who are interested in farming are either life long devotees (living the farm life and aged), older folks who are retired or about to and want to get "back to the land" and relax a bit/de-stress (like farming ISN'T work! :th), or what city folk call "whackos" or "preppers" who are concerned with govt over-reach, the zombie apocalypse, or end of the world scenarios. Some of us also want to get back to eating healthier foods without all the antibiotics and growth hormones, or GMOs, poisons and pesticides, etc. Some of us are basically anti social, don't want to deal with society as it presently exists, and just want to get away from people and live in peace and quiet ;)

As of now, I have the ability to go to the local grocery store and buy what I need that I can't or don't produce. So if I grow a garden and do some canning and freezing, that can offset my grocery bill over time, and also provide fresh, un-contaminated food. I can get my milk from my goats, I can get my meat from the chickens, goats, whatever other animals I grow... I plan on pigs, a steer or two and turkeys... So eggs come from that as well. I don't have the room or ability to grow my own grain, so I'd still have to find a source for wheat or flour, anything involving grains/cereals, etc.
 

norseofcourse

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Greetings and welcome to Backyard Herds!

When I need information, it's usually practical information. I do look things up on the internet, but as with any source of information, some of it is right, some of it is wrong, and some is right for some people/animals and situations but not others. You have to get to the point where you can sort through it, find reliable sources to confirm things if needed, and decide what works for you - and then keep learning, as new research can change things as well.

There are other ways to learn besides the internet and formal institutions. Most US states have an Extension service, in my state there is an office in every county, and their role is to provide education and assistance to people on a wide variety of agricultural subjects (free or very inexpensive). The county offices vary in what they specialize in - mine is better with plants than with animals, but some of the other counties near me have better resources for animal questions.

There's also local and national associations for various animals, I am in the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, which has meetings and training a few times a year. The one in the summer is very reasonable in cost and has a lot of educational sessions, and the one I went to this past December had some really good stuff, too. Plus the chance to meet with other shepherds and talk about sheep! They also have sheep shearing schools and other educational opportunities.

I think most states also have a land grant (agricultural) college, which also may do outreach and education - I think they somehow work with the Extension service but I'm not sure exactly how they're connected.

There's also an Ohio Farm Bureau, but they seem more geared to the 'professional', larger-scale farms.

I've heard of a group that does 'pasture walks' where they meet at local farms and walk their pasture and talk about pasture quality and how to improve it. I hope to find something like that near me, because the better my pasture is, the better sheep I will raise.

The Maryland Sheep and Wool show even has educational sessions (some cost, some free) during their show.

There are learning opportunities out there, sometimes it can be hard to find them, though. I think many of the groups are realizing the fastest growing segment of 'farmers' are the backyard/hobby/small-scale folks, and they are starting to respond to the educational needs and challenges of this segment.
 

Mikkel Ebbesen

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Generally when I'm looking for information it's pretty specific rather than general stuff. At the same time, the information I get has to be "simple" or "generic" enough that I can understand what I'm trying to learn and what it's trying to teach. Today, I've watched a you tube video on disbudding of kids (burning off their horns before growth). I've watched many in the past, but this link came up so I watched. I've never done it, but expect to have to within the next several months. Based on what I've seen I feel quite confident that I could do it successfully. I've also done research into colostrum and when it's effectiveness ends & how and where it's absorbed by the kid/lamb/baby... I may be reading in a thread and someone asks a question I feel I can answer but may do some quick research before posting. Or maybe I want to post a link to "back up" the information I'm posting. Or I may be doing something or planning something and want to do a little research before starting. Most of us here (I would guess) when we're doing online searches it's because one of our animals is having an issue/problem and we're seeking help to identify/cure the issue.

I mean, really, there are already universities and state colleges that have degree programs (bachelors, masters, doctorate) in animal husbandry, agriculture, all facets of farming, both traditional in classroom, and online. There are also lots of organizations/societies/etc. that offer training/course material for an amazing number of agricultural subjects. If I'm a beginner, and young, should I just enroll in a college curriculum and learn it before I get heavily involved in it? I would think if it will be a life pursuit; yes. But since I'm about to hit that magical age of 60, I have no desire to "start from scratch" and earn a degree. Farming will not be my life's pursuit... it's a hobby. In this country, youth in general is migrating away from farming in droves... They don't want to get their hands dirty. They've lost touch with where their food comes from. They want to sit behind a desk in air conditioned comfort, drinking their starbucks latte', earning big bucks and building up a 401K for their retirement. Most youth today is moving toward the city, not away.

Funny anecdotes... the climate change/global warming crowd have given some excellent quotes... They say farmers should stop producing cattle since their production of methane gas from burping and farting is hurting the environment. So if you ask them where will they get steak once the cattle farmers stop... their answer? The same place we get it now; at the grocery store of course... :he

It seems most of the folks who are interested in farming are either life long devotees (living the farm life and aged), older folks who are retired or about to and want to get "back to the land" and relax a bit/de-stress (like farming ISN'T work! :th), or what city folk call "whackos" or "preppers" who are concerned with govt over-reach, the zombie apocalypse, or end of the world scenarios. Some of us also want to get back to eating healthier foods without all the antibiotics and growth hormones, or GMOs, poisons and pesticides, etc. Some of us are basically anti social, don't want to deal with society as it presently exists, and just want to get away from people and live in peace and quiet ;)

As of now, I have the ability to go to the local grocery store and buy what I need that I can't or don't produce. So if I grow a garden and do some canning and freezing, that can offset my grocery bill over time, and also provide fresh, un-contaminated food. I can get my milk from my goats, I can get my meat from the chickens, goats, whatever other animals I grow... I plan on pigs, a steer or two and turkeys... So eggs come from that as well. I don't have the room or ability to grow my own grain, so I'd still have to find a source for wheat or flour, anything involving grains/cereals, etc.

Very interesting insight that you look for specific things, and are encouraged to do it in the moment, the need arises, e.g. an animal of yours is having an issue. This will be important for us to consider, since there is a huge difference between offering general topics, let's say animal husbandry focused on goats, or disbudding of kids.

I you were to sum up the three most important skills, you have acquired by finding information online, what would they be? And what are the limitations to finding information on farming online?
 

Mikkel Ebbesen

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Greetings and welcome to Backyard Herds!

When I need information, it's usually practical information. I do look things up on the internet, but as with any source of information, some of it is right, some of it is wrong, and some is right for some people/animals and situations but not others. You have to get to the point where you can sort through it, find reliable sources to confirm things if needed, and decide what works for you - and then keep learning, as new research can change things as well.

There are other ways to learn besides the internet and formal institutions. Most US states have an Extension service, in my state there is an office in every county, and their role is to provide education and assistance to people on a wide variety of agricultural subjects (free or very inexpensive). The county offices vary in what they specialize in - mine is better with plants than with animals, but some of the other counties near me have better resources for animal questions.

There's also local and national associations for various animals, I am in the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, which has meetings and training a few times a year. The one in the summer is very reasonable in cost and has a lot of educational sessions, and the one I went to this past December had some really good stuff, too. Plus the chance to meet with other shepherds and talk about sheep! They also have sheep shearing schools and other educational opportunities.

I think most states also have a land grant (agricultural) college, which also may do outreach and education - I think they somehow work with the Extension service but I'm not sure exactly how they're connected.

There's also an Ohio Farm Bureau, but they seem more geared to the 'professional', larger-scale farms.

I've heard of a group that does 'pasture walks' where they meet at local farms and walk their pasture and talk about pasture quality and how to improve it. I hope to find something like that near me, because the better my pasture is, the better sheep I will raise.

The Maryland Sheep and Wool show even has educational sessions (some cost, some free) during their show.

There are learning opportunities out there, sometimes it can be hard to find them, though. I think many of the groups are realizing the fastest growing segment of 'farmers' are the backyard/hobby/small-scale folks, and they are starting to respond to the educational needs and challenges of this segment.

Thank you for your warm welcome, norseofcourse. I would like to ask you a question regarding the sources of information. You write that you look for reliable sources to confirm things. To you, what is a reliable source on agriculture? And how do you judge whether it is or not?

Nice of you to include information on the offline places to educate yourself. In my Google search, I have come by the extension services several times, and they seem to have much information out there. That's the information, we need to get to the surface.

You mention the importance of interacting with peers. How would would you compare meeting other shepherds in person with your conversations in online forums?

As I understand, you have paid money to participate in offline training sessions. Have you tried paying for accessing agricultural resources online? If yes, where and for what?
 

norseofcourse

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Thank you for your warm welcome, norseofcourse. I would like to ask you a question regarding the sources of information. You write that you look for reliable sources to confirm things. To you, what is a reliable source on agriculture? And how do you judge whether it is or not?

If someone talks about 'current research', I look to find the actual research, like with all the stuff coming out about parasites and deworming practices. For stuff like nutrition and health care, I am more likely to use university or government sites (veterinary colleges, IRS, departments of agriculture). If someone talks about some law or rule they heard about, I try to find the actual law or rule and read for myself. (for example, when I had my barn built, I had several people, most who I considered reliable, tell me that if I didn't put a concrete floor in it, it wasn't considered a permanent building, and so its value wouldn't be added to my property taxes. I checked with the county tax department - they were wrong, it did count :rolleyes: ).

Some things are not so absolute, there are many different housing and feeding practices, for example. I find it interesting to read about the different ways people do things, but I have to decide what works for me. Sometimes I change something, if the reason someone does something different seems to make sense and would work here.

Nice of you to include information on the offline places to educate yourself. In my Google search, I have come by the extension services several times, and they seem to have much information out there. That's the information, we need to get to the surface.

I just attended a Small Farm Conference, put on by the Ohio State University Extension's Small Farm Team. It was really really good, and had various sessions you could attend. I went to some really good ones on marketing your products, agricultural product regulations, and farm taxes. They packed a lot of info into those sessions, and had contact information and resources if you wanted to learn more.

You mention the importance of interacting with peers. How would would you compare meeting other shepherds in person with your conversations in online forums?
For some things, meeting shepherds/farmers in person is so much more helpful. At the conference, they discussed marketing issues and regulations. This of course focused a lot on Ohio regulations, and also on county regulations, and I learned that some rules can vary from county to county. Since there were people from several different counties there, they talked about what their county required and the challenges they faced when they traveled to sell at farmers markets in other counties.

It also helped because when you're starting out in farming and marketing your products (or adding a new farm product), you don't always know what questions to ask. I learned a lot just by listening to the questions that other people had, and the answers.

What you get from in-person interaction that you don't get online, is local insight. People at meetings or classes near me know the local weather conditions, marketing trends, rules, regulations, who to contact, where the good deals are, what to avoid. It's also just more human - no worrying about spelling and grammar, proficiency with the written word (or not), and you get all the facial and body language, tone of voice and just 'real human' communication (that is two-way between speaker and listener) that connects us as people.

As I understand, you have paid money to participate in offline training sessions. Have you tried paying for accessing agricultural resources online? If yes, where and for what?
I have not paid for any online agricultural resources.
 
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Mikkel Ebbesen

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If someone talks about 'current research', I look to find the actual research, like with all the stuff coming out about parasites and deworming practices. For stuff like nutrition and health care, I am more likely to use university or government sites (veterinary colleges, IRS, departments of agriculture). If someone talks about some law or rule they heard about, I try to find the actual law or rule and read for myself. (for example, when I had my barn built, I had several people, most who I considered reliable, tell me that if I didn't put a concrete floor in it, it wasn't considered a permanent building, and so its value wouldn't be added to my property taxes. I checked with the county tax department - they were wrong, it did count :rolleyes: ).

Some things are not so absolute, there are many different housing and feeding practices, for example. I find it interesting to read about the different ways people do things, but I have to decide what works for me. Sometimes I change something, if the reason someone does something different seems to make sense and would work here.



I just attended a Small Farm Conference, put on by the Ohio State University Extension's Small Farm Team. It was really really good, and had various sessions you could attend. I went to some really good ones on marketing your products, agricultural product regulations, and farm taxes. They packed a lot of info into those sessions, and had contact information and resources if you wanted to learn more.


For some things, meeting shepherds/farmers in person is so much more helpful. At the conference, they discussed marketing issues and regulations. This of course focused a lot on Ohio regulations, and also on county regulations, and I learned that some rules can vary from county to county. Since there were people from several different counties there, they talked about what their county required and the challenges they faced when they traveled to sell at farmers markets in other counties.

It also helped because when you're starting out in farming and marketing your products (or adding a new farm product), you don't always know what questions to ask. I learned a lot just by listening to the questions that other people had, and the answers.

What you get from in-person interaction that you don't get online, is local insight. People at meetings or classes near me know the local weather conditions, marketing trends, rules, regulations, who to contact, where the good deals are, what to avoid. It's also just more human - no worrying about spelling and grammar, proficiency with the written word (or not), and you get all the facial and body language, tone of voice and just 'real human' communication (that is two-way between speaker and listener) that connects us as people.


I have not paid for any online agricultural resources.

Thank you for taking your time to come up with a reply. I really appreciate it.

You seem to go through a lot of information to find best practice, but also alternative solutions. In your case, what would you say are the three issues, for which you most often have to ask for advice or look for information?
 
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