Conversations

Are you farming in a fire-prone area and overwhelmed by the “new normal” of wildfires? Wondering how to adapt?

Are you farming in a fire-prone area and overwhelmed by the “new normal” of wildfires? Wondering how to adapt?

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Hi Farmers! I am gearing up to take the leap and quit my day job and be a farmer full time but have the big stumbling block of health insurance coverage. Does any one who has done this recently have any advice? I am wondering if there is some kind of farmer's guild that would offer group health insurance.

Thank you!
Melinda

Peace and Plenty Farm

Because the topic of crop insurance came up recently, we hope you saw in the Events calendar that CCOF and CA FarmLink are co-hosting a webinar next Tuesday 6/19, 12-1:30pm PT called "Accessing Crop Insurance for Organic Farmers."

Registration link

Because the topic of crop insurance came up recently, we hope you saw in the Events calendar that CCOF and CA FarmLink are co-hosting a webinar next Tuesday 6/19, 12-1:30pm PT called "Accessing Crop Insurance for Organic Farmers."

Registration link

I run a 2-acre permaculture farm in North Marin County that is also a B&B that I rent through Airbnb. I have been through 13 brokers trying to get insured. They eventually say in some form or another that there just isn’t a policy that will do what I need; cover replacement costs AND liability.

Before it was a B&B the other 4 units were month-to-month rentals and I had both homeowners & rental insurance through State Farm, but when I went over to the ‘transient occupancy,’ State Farm said they wouldn’t insure the 3 rental structures, only my residence. When my policies expired and were cancelled, my mortgage company put lender-based policies on the 3 rental structures at an exorbitant cost, and (I just found out while doing my taxes), the coverage is only to pay the lender in the case of loss; I will get nothing to replace or rebuild. And, of course, there is no liability coverage for my business,

I run a 2-acre permaculture farm in North Marin County that is also a B&B that I rent through Airbnb. I have been through 13 brokers trying to get insured. They eventually say in some form or another that there just isn’t a policy that will do what I need; cover replacement costs AND liability.

Before it was a B&B the other 4 units were month-to-month rentals and I had both homeowners & rental insurance through State Farm, but when I went over to the ‘transient occupancy,’ State Farm said they wouldn’t insure the 3 rental structures, only my residence. When my policies expired and were cancelled, my mortgage company put lender-based policies on the 3 rental structures at an exorbitant cost, and (I just found out while doing my taxes), the coverage is only to pay the lender in the case of loss; I will get nothing to replace or rebuild. And, of course, there is no liability coverage for my business, which is thriving.

I have come to understand that, until some vendor comes up with a prototype for the new crop of vacation rentals that Airbnb has sown and grown, most insurers are just waiting to see what the competition rates will bear out to be. So, for now, the only answer seems to be to find a vendor that will cover replacement costs, then add liability coverage with an additional policy.

If anyone has any suggestions as to a company or broker, or if you also have a farm B&B and can give some advice or referrals, I would be ever so grateful (will indicate with gifts of handmade soaps!)

Niche @ Green Gage Farm • 4154 895-1435

We're having some difficulty finding an insurance policy to cover our operation, or even part of it. We're looking for a general liability policy to cover if someone was to get hurt by livestock, livestock was to wander out to the street and run into a car, if a tree falls on someone, etc. Not particularly concerned about valuing any structures/equipment on property, though open to it (100 year old hay barn, 40 year old pole barn, shipping containers, solar panels). Not looking for product liability.

We raise a small herd of pigs, goats and sheep (4 sows, ~14 does, ~8 ewes) in a rotational grazing system and run a tiny (2/3 acre) market garden and are growing ~100 trees. We milk animals for our own use, make cheese, and feed whey to pigs. We sell piglets, kids, and lambs. We own the land, but don't have a home on it, or own our own homes elsewhere, so can't connect it to a homeowners policy.

We are off

We're having some difficulty finding an insurance policy to cover our operation, or even part of it. We're looking for a general liability policy to cover if someone was to get hurt by livestock, livestock was to wander out to the street and run into a car, if a tree falls on someone, etc. Not particularly concerned about valuing any structures/equipment on property, though open to it (100 year old hay barn, 40 year old pole barn, shipping containers, solar panels). Not looking for product liability.

We raise a small herd of pigs, goats and sheep (4 sows, ~14 does, ~8 ewes) in a rotational grazing system and run a tiny (2/3 acre) market garden and are growing ~100 trees. We milk animals for our own use, make cheese, and feed whey to pigs. We sell piglets, kids, and lambs. We own the land, but don't have a home on it, or own our own homes elsewhere, so can't connect it to a homeowners policy.

We are off grid, with no power anywhere near us, in a wildfire area (near the location of the Rim Fire from a few years back), and host hundreds of interested friends and community members, giving tours, explaining our systems, and so on.

We're located in Tuolumne County, and have worked with insurance agents in the foothills. Doesn't seem like the big ag style in the central valley are quite our ticket. I wonder if anyone else trying to do/move in the direction of educational homestead or farm enterprise incubators has run into any of this.

Anyone you like? Creative/good people to work with that understand atypical farm models?

Speaking of which, we're struggling with accountants, too.

Any thoughts would be so very appreciated. We'd like to do this right!

If you offer any kind of agritourism - from U-Pick to to bed-n-breakfast - we think you may be interested in the upcoming Agritourism Conversations hosted by UC Small Farm Program and FarmsReach! It is a series of 5 practical webinars with ongoing Q&A and resource-sharing by presenters and the community online in between. It kicks off on May 19th and continues through July 14th.

If you are an agritourism operator and have a burning question about how to improve or expand your operation, you can also share your questions in the new CA Agritourism group ahead of time, or email: paleff@ucdavis.edu. We will make sure your questions are answered!

SCHEDULE – all webinars will be 11am-12pm PT:

• Thursday May 19 – The Strategy: Identifying, Reaching & Connecting with YOUR Agritourism Customers
  Presenters: Kristen Skaggs and Anna Farrell, Farrell Design Group; Al Courchesne (Farmer Al), Frog Hollow Farm.

If you offer any kind of agritourism - from U-Pick to to bed-n-breakfast - we think you may be interested in the upcoming Agritourism Conversations hosted by UC Small Farm Program and FarmsReach! It is a series of 5 practical webinars with ongoing Q&A and resource-sharing by presenters and the community online in between. It kicks off on May 19th and continues through July 14th.

If you are an agritourism operator and have a burning question about how to improve or expand your operation, you can also share your questions in the new CA Agritourism group ahead of time, or email: paleff@ucdavis.edu. We will make sure your questions are answered!

SCHEDULE – all webinars will be 11am-12pm PT:

• Thursday May 19 – The Strategy: Identifying, Reaching & Connecting with YOUR Agritourism Customers
  Presenters: Kristen Skaggs and Anna Farrell, Farrell Design Group; Al Courchesne (Farmer Al), Frog Hollow Farm. REGISTER
• Thursday June 2 – The Invitation: Social Media & Website Success
  Presenters: Kristin York, Sierra Business Council; Lauren Gagliano Saline, Suzie’s Farm. REGISTER
• Thursday June 16 – The Rules: Navigating and Negotiating Permits and Regulations
  Presenters: Karen Giovannini, UCCE Sonoma County; Tom Purciel, El Dorado County Planning Dept. Registration coming soon!
• Thursday June 30 – The Community: Powerful Promotions through Partners
  Presenters: Tiffany Dozier, Yolo County Visitors Bureau; Evan Oakes, Ag Venture Tours & Consulting. Registration coming soon!
• Thursday July 14 – The Delivery: Five-Star Customer Experience
  Presenters: Scottie Jones, Farm Stay U.S.; Meghan Bishop, Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm. Registration coming soon!

To read more about the series and for more resources, check out the recent FarmsReach blog: Revisiting Your Agritourism Strategy for Increased Income .

If you can't make the webinars, no worries... We will be archiving them immediately after they occur and share them in the new CA Agritourism group. Join the group to get notified when they are posted!

Dear farmers!

We're a small team on a big mission - to make precision agriculture concepts affordable and accessible to even the smallest of farmers. We need some input to be smarter about what we're building.

Our name is Farm Dog (http://farmdog.ag/) and we'll gladly send a Farm Dog hat to the first 50 people that will answer the 25 questions in this survey form: http://goo.gl/forms/88SywcPrlt

Yours,

Michael Hermon

Co-founder and CTO

Farm Dog

The Grange Farm School is looking for a special kind of student. You think holistically rather than in parts. You see the importance of asking high quality questions. You are innovative, ambitious, persistent, and collaborative. You want to be part of the new face of agriculture that will transform our world for the better.

Our 14 week residential, Student Program offers you the tools and confidence to manage a successful agricultural enterprise, whether in farming, ranching, or related fields. You will live and work on a beautiful 5,000 acre ranch with diverse vegetables, grains, fruit trees, and livestock. Guest instructors and staff members provide a comprehensive curriculum in business management, industrial arts, animal husbandry, soil and ecology, and crop production, supported by an understanding of the theory and history of our food systems. You will leave with hands-on practical experience, and

The Grange Farm School is looking for a special kind of student. You think holistically rather than in parts. You see the importance of asking high quality questions. You are innovative, ambitious, persistent, and collaborative. You want to be part of the new face of agriculture that will transform our world for the better.

Our 14 week residential, Student Program offers you the tools and confidence to manage a successful agricultural enterprise, whether in farming, ranching, or related fields. You will live and work on a beautiful 5,000 acre ranch with diverse vegetables, grains, fruit trees, and livestock. Guest instructors and staff members provide a comprehensive curriculum in business management, industrial arts, animal husbandry, soil and ecology, and crop production, supported by an understanding of the theory and history of our food systems. You will leave with hands-on practical experience, and a framework for thinking outside the box, creative decision making, and communication that improves your business planning, community networking, and relationship building .

Grange Farm School programs are designed for practical people who are ready to make a difference in the real world. Students with a desire to enter a career in agriculture equipped with essential skills, knowledge, and resources. Students who want to be among the million new farmers, ranchers, and small businesses this country needs in order to transform agriculture through creative and profitable enterprises.

Grange Farm School is part of the movement to make that happen. Are you ready to join? Then take the next step by contacting us at info@grangefarmschool.org or visiting our website or blog: http://www.grangefarmschool.org OR http://www.grangefarmschool.wordpress.com