Guides & Books

Some great specific guides and their Vermont authors for beginning farmers are listed below.

• Resource Guide for Vermont's New and Aspiring Farmers By the New Farmers Network and other agriculture service professionals.
• Legal Guide to the Business of Farming in Vermont By Randolph attorney Annette Higby and other Ag service professionals.
• A Lease Agreement Guide for Landowners and Farmers By Debra Heleba, Land Link Vermont, with David Major, Major Farm, and Bill Snow, University of Vermont Extension.
• Your First Farm Loan By Dennis Kauppila, Farm Business Management Specialist, University of Vermont Extension

Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)
ATTRA has hundreds of publications on all aspects of farming. They focus on sustainable agriculture and have many resources on organic farming.

Cornell University's Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service (NRAES)
NRAES offers some great comprehensive production guides. Reading these guides will help you in your planning process understand animal and crop needs.

NOFA Vermont Books
Over 200 titles on organic production. NOFA Vermont members get a 10% discount on all books.

Sustainable Ag Research and Education (SARE) program
SARE has many very practical and readable publications for growers--many of which you can be download for free.