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Learn the basics of farm recordkeeping, taking sales online, and paying employees from experts and experienced farmers.
Accurate and up-to-date financial records are essential to any growing business, but are especially important to farms and agricultural businesses. Without a good recordkeeping system in place, decisions will be made based on hunches, not reality. Successful farm-centric grant applications must start with a solid set of numbers that can be at your fingertips…if you start now!
Join us online (via Zoom) on Thursday evenings in February 2022 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm to learn the ins and outs of setting up a solid recordkeeping system as well as other farm number-crunching topics. Can’t make a session? No problem! All sessions are being recorded and made available for later viewing to everyone registered.
February 3 – Farm Bookkeeping Basics
Starting or expanding a farm business doesn’t need to be complicated or intimidating. Learn the basics of setting up an accounting system that works for you. Covered topics include choosing a legal entity, paper or e-books, basic profit and loss statements, and developing a recordkeeping system.
February 10 – Online Sales
For many small farms, e-commerce has become an excellent way to connect with customers and sell product. With so many e-store choices already available, and new ones coming out all the time, it can seem overwhelming to find one that suits your farm best. Learn a bit about what’s out there and the possibilities for integration with financial software. In addition, you’ll hear from farms that use different platforms and methods to e-connect with customers including via food hubs.
February 17 – Paying Employees
Adding employees to your farm means it’s growing. But it also means adding a lot of paperwork as well. Learn what is involved with managing payroll records and all the federal, state, and local filing requirements. Should you do it yourself or pay a service? In addition, you’ll hear from local farmers how they find and retain good employees.
February 24 – Financial Statements, Cash Flow, & Loan Readiness
What is a balance sheet? Owner’s equity? Where does cash flow and why should you care? For long term success and survival, every farm business needs to understand these concepts and more. The more you know and understand about basic number crunching, the more likely you’ll be able to see when a change is necessary, before it’s too late. Gain the knowledge needed to talk with loan officers and put your farm in the best position possible to secure additional funding.
Series educators include Jocelyn Campbell, a Puget Sound-based farm bookkeeping professional; Neil Subhash, farmer and Farm Business Support Specialist at Business Impact NW along with other experts in the field of farm number-crunching and farmer-led panel discussions.
Take one, two or all four! Cost for the four-week series is $15 or $5 for a single class. Visit FarmingByTheNumbers.eventbrite.com to register. For more information on the series, contact Kate Ryan, kate.ryan@wsu.edu, (425) 357-6024.
Sponsored by WSU Snohomish County Extension, Business Impact Northwest, Snohomish Conservation District, and SnoValley Tilth.
