Good decision-making around the type and amount of labor needed on a farm enhances the farm household’s quality of life and increases the likelihood farmers will successfully meet their financial goals. This site provides tools and strategies to help small and medium-sized fruit and vegetable farms make informed labor decisions.

Events

  • Becoming the Employer of Choice for Vegetable Farmers

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    Becoming the Employer of Choice for Vegetable Farmers is an eight-session educational series designed to help farmers gain knowledge and skills to lead and manage teams in ways that improve production efficiency, product quality, employee satisfaction, labor retention and quality of life. The course is designed for farmers serving in an employer or manager role. Advance registration is required.

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  • Women Farmers Aging Strong: Ferment

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    Women Farmers Aging Strong is a farmer-led, monthly online series for information, support and resource sharing to help farmers preserve and protect our most important farming tool...ourselves. This session focuses on mind-body connectedness and fermentation 101.

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  • Women Farmers Aging Strong: Stew

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    Women Farmers Aging Strong is a farmer-led, monthly online series for information, support and resource sharing to help farmers preserve and protect our most important farming tool...ourselves. This session focuses in incorporated fiber and healthy fats into our diet, and softening connective tissue to improve flexibility and promote healing.

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Explore Resources

  • Equipment Cost Recovery Calculator

    The Equipment Cost Recovery Calculator is a spreadsheet-based workbook that helps estimate the time it will take to recover the cost of purchasing new equipment through increased labor efficiency (labor cost savings). It was developed by the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin.

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  • Insider Tips on Managing Farm Staff with Kate Donald

    Kate Donald has been farming for 20+ years, having worked on farms in California and Massachusetts before returning to here home state of New Hampshire. She and her husband Jeff co-own Stout Oak Farm, a Certified Organic vegetable farm in Brentwood, NH, where she works with a team of twelve employees to grow vegetables, microgreens, seedlings, and cut flowers. Kate also co-owns the local food hub Three River Farmers Alliance.

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  • Conflict Resolution Guidelines: A Quick Guide

    It is critical to the smooth workings of a farm that the people who work there take the time to resolve conflicts in a respectful way. Work to resolve conflicts in ways that contribute to the health and harmony of the entire farm community with this 3-step guide.

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  • Your Role as an Employee Manager

    Use this Assessing Personnel Management Skills checklist to consider the various aspects of being a successful human resources manager and identify areas to work on developing knowledge and skills. (Developed by Iowa State University Extension & Outreach)

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  • Workers' Compensation & Farm Businesses

    This document is an FAQ-style bulletin that helps farm business managers estimate the cost of workers' compensation for financial and business planning. It covers requirements, cost factors, and steps to obtain workers' compensation coverage. It was written by Rachel Armstrong of Farm Commons and last updated July 2024.

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