By Morgan Watts

Rowan Cooperative Extension

North Carolina Farm School is coming back to the Southern Piedmont next year. That may seem like a long time away, but now is the time to apply and get things together, logistically, to attend.

The 2020 Southern Piedmont Farm School will be based in Cabarrus County. Bi-weekly classroom sessions will be held at N.C. Cooperative Extension, Cabarrus County Center, 715 Cabarrus Ave. W., Concord,  from 6-9 p.m. on the following dates: Jan. 14, 28; Feb. 11, 25; March 10, 24; April 7, 21.

The monthly field days will be from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and held either in Cabarrus County or the surrounding counties. Those dates are Feb. 19, March 18, April 15, May 6, and May 27. Transportation will be provided from Cabarrus County to the other counties as needed.

The classroom session will cover marketing, budgeting, finance, risk management and a business plan framework. You will also get one-on-one site visits with university business specialists based around your goals and mentoring for your area of interest.

Farm visits are a great way to ask questions to other farmers and see firsthand what other farmers are doing. The field days are always a great hit.

Farm School is a community dedicated to your success. N.C. Farm School is for beginning farmers or farmers who are looking to transition to another enterprise. Whether you want to do something with plants or animals, N.C. Farm School will have resources for you.

If N.C. Farm School sounds like it would be a good fit for you, registration is due by Jan. 10. You can register online and find out more information by visiting www.ncfarmschool.com Cost is $399 per person or $599 per pair. If you have any questions, please contact your local Extension office — N.C. Cooperative Extension, Rowan County Center, 2727-A Old Concord Road, Salisbury, NC 28146, or call 704-216-8970.