Business Advice for Organic Farmers

Richard Wiswall has farmed organically at Cate Farm in Vermont since 1981—and could not have survived that long if he wasn't making a profit. Inspired by Wiswall's 2009 book The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook, this program is mainly a record of his workshop at the Northeast Organic Farming Association's winter conference in 2010, interspersed with comments from an interview with Wiswall at his farm. The workshop offers a thorough examination of the economics of organic agriculture, delving into planning, budgeting, producing, and marketing in ways that will ensure an enterprise turns a net profit. For example, in creating a crop budget, Wiswall notes the difference between kale and broccoli; kale, which can be harvested several times in a season, nets about 20 times as much revenue as the same acreage planted in broccoli. DVD extras includes printable forms related to Wiswall's hands-on budgeting and marketing exercises. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Gardner)