Maine Farm Sitters Course

The purpose of this course is to equip individuals with the tools to serve as effective farm sitters and to understand the general responsibilities of helping an animal-based farm enterprise successfully continue in the absence of the farmer or manager.

Course Schedule:

Zoom meetings, Tuesdays 6:00 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.

March 26

April 2

April 9

April 23

April 30

In Person Meetings:

Farm Visit in Garland, ME – date TBD

May 7, 2024 9:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m. Farm Tractor Safety @KVCC Hinckley Campus

Note: To get the most out of this course, participants should plan to spend approximately 1 hour/week on additional asynchronous coursework.

Course Format and Completion:

Complete readings, videos, and practical assignments in Brightspace (an online learning platform)

Attend five, 90-minute Zoom sessions, Tuesdays, 6 — 7:30 pm

Course Fee:

This training program is offered on a sliding scale (self-selected). We strive to make the training accessible and affordable for all Maine residents.

$50: Full price: Suggested for those who can afford the full course fee.

$35: 30% discount: Suggested for those who can afford 70% of the full course fee. Discount code: 30_mfs

$20: 60% discount: Suggested fee for participants for whom the full course fee would prove a barrier. Discount code: 60_mfs

*Please contact us at extension.newfarmer@maine.edu if these payment options still prove a barrier to participation.

Topics include:

Components of Effective Farm Sitting

Animal Health Basics

Practical Animal Nutrition

Farm Sitting as a Business

Farm Sitting in the Real World

Animal Handling

Farm Tractor Safety

Questions:

Email: extension.newfarmer@maine.edu

Phone: 207-933-2100 Office hours: Weekdays 8:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m.

If you are a person with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in this program, or would like to discuss any other barriers to participation, please email extension.newfarmer@maine.edu or call Chris Howard 207-944-6391 to discuss your needs. Receiving requests for accommodations at least 10 days before the program provides a reasonable amount of time to meet the request, however, all requests will be considered.

In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).