Transitioning Off the Incubator

After three years of farming on our Incubator Training Farm, you will be assisted with transitioning to your own independent farm site.

Some farmers who finish the Farm Business Planning Course are ready to begin their own business right away, and we can help with that too. New Entry staff provides individual technical assistance to meet the long-term goals of each farmer, even after they transition to their own land.

The New Entry Transitioning Farmer Program includes technical assistance or referrals related to:

  • Farm business planning;
  • Finding and assessing farmland;
  • Recommending small farm equipment;
  • Providing examples of lease agreements and land conservation plans;
  • Advising on farm production practices and management;
  • Linking participants to Massachusetts markets and direct marketing programs;
  • Ordering seeds and applying for permits;
  • Applying to farm credit and loan programs;
  • Contacting custom farm services (land preparation, fertility);
  • Applying to USDA programs (crop insurance, conservation planning); and
  • Continuing access to New Entry training programs and workshops.

Farmland Matching

New Entry's Farmland Matching Service assists qualified beginning farmers and experienced growers to locate suitable land for agricultural production and has been a valuable resource to both graduates of New Entry's programs and independent farmers throughout New England.