How Profitable will My New Orchard Investment Be? Evaluating Capital Investment Decisions in a Farm Business
The purpose of this on-line course is to help you learn to make informed investment decisions for your farm. The focus is on investment decisions that have long-term implications for your business. The course uses an apple farm, Smith Orchard, as an example, but the skills taught in this class are appropriate for any farm business. In this course you will learn to:
- Identify possible investment opportunities for your farm.
- Use your financial statements, farm financial information, and other data to evaluate your farm's performance and to help prioritize investment options.
- Develop an enterprise budget and use your enterprise budgets and partial budget analysis to evaluate the risk and profitability of potential investments.
- Use cost-benefit analysis tools that consider the time value of money to help you choose among investment options.
The course is held over 2 weeks and the primary mode of instruction will be online using Moodle. You will have access to instructional videos, written instructions, sample financial information and practice scenarios and on-line forums for discussion. This work can be done at a time and location that is convenient to you. Each week will end with a 1.5 hour Zoom session on Thursday from 3:00-4:30, where we will go over key concepts and answer any questions you may have. The Zoom sessions will be recorded if you are unable to attend.
Event Details
Date
February 29, 2024
Time
3:00-4:30
Location
Zoom
Cost
Registration : $25.00
Host
Eastern New York Commercial HorticultureWeek 1 of the course (February 23-Feb 29)
In week 1 you will learn:
- How and why to use a structured process to make investment decisions.
- Identifying the problem to be addressed, generating possible solutions and identifying what information you need to acquire.
- Gathering data and using farm financial statements and farm financial ratios to help make decisions.
You will have access to videos and resources to learn and practice using the concepts covered. In the zoom session we will consider scenarios and go over questions you may have.
Event Details
Date
March 7, 2024
Time
3:00-4:30
Location
Zoom
Host
Eastern New York Commercial HorticultureWeek 2 (March 1 - March 7)
In Week 2 you will learn
- How to develop an enterprise budget and use your enterprise budgets and partial budget analysis to evaluate the risk and profitability of potential investments.
- How to use cost-benefit analysis tools that consider the time value of money to help you choose among investment options.
Like week 1 you will have access to videos and resources to learn and practice using the concepts covered. In the zoom session on Thursday we will consider scenarios and go over questions you may have.
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
Leading the Farm Team: Supervisory Skills for New Managers
April 14, 2026 : Session 1: Becoming a Supervisor
The transition from working alongside employees to supervising them can be challenging. This session explores the shift from individual contributor to supervisor and the mindset and skills needed to lead a team effectively. Participants will learn about the role of a supervisor, key leadership behaviors, and how to build trust and credibility with employees.
April 21, 2026 : Session 2: Improving Performance
This session will introduce the performance triad—clear expectations, training, and feedback—to support employee success. We will discuss practical communication strategies, how to give constructive feedback, and how supervisors can help employees improve their performance over time.
April 28, 2026 : Session 3: Managing Conflict
Supervisors are responsible for maintaining a professional and respectful workplace. This session covers some of the legal and ethical responsibilities of supervisors and the responsibilities managers have in addressing workplace concerns.
Participants will also explore common sources of workplace conflict, learn to recognize potential biases that can influence management decisions, and discuss practical approaches for addressing difficult situations and resolving conflicts at work.