Incubator Farm Program Details
Are you ready to get your farm business up and running? Joining the incubator farm is the next step towards making your dream a reality!
Eligibility
- Complete the Farm Business Planning Class
- Submit a completed business plan
- Review the Incubator Farmer Manual
- Fill out and submit an application
- Show proof of farm liability insurance
New Entry will provide…
We currently charge $957/acre or $315 for a ¼ acre plot. These fees include the following:
• Spring/Fall plowing
• Field-scale fertility and pH applications
• Landowner fees
• Sanitary facilities
• Access to irrigation and electricity
• Spring/summer/fall cover crop seed
• Field trainings
• Unheated high tunnels
• Storage space
• Small equipment
• Produce wash stations
Additional services and fees include…
• One-on-one technical assistance - $350 for a full season of TA sessions
• Custom tractor work - $35/hr
• Equipment fee - $200/season
• Pesticide fee - $60/season
• Cooler use - $180/season
• Heated greenhouse for seedling propagation - $330/season
A first-year farmer can expect New Entry's fees for ¼ acre to total about $1,435 for their first year. This includes full access to New Entry resources, infrastructure and equipment but does not include insurance, business fees, or certain supplies we do not provide (including but not limited to: seeds, certain soil amendments, black plastic mulch, drip tape, row cover, etc.). Please refer to the 2020 Incubator Farm Manual for a detailed description of what is included in the fees.
Complimentary support for farmers
• We provide ongoing feedback and technical assistance for farmers on their business and production plans, and provide help ordering seeds and equipment, getting permits and insurance, keeping records, and accessing credit.
• You can farm on the New Entry Incubator Farm for up to three seasons. After that, we will assist you in transitioning to your own independent farm site.
• If you choose to farm elsewhere, we can help you locate and evaluate farmland.
• What you grow on the New Entry sites belongs to you! You can sell it through the New Entry Food Hub, or through any other markets that you've identified.
For more information on how to start farming on New Entry's Incubator Farm, contact Brendan Murtha at Brendan.murtha@tufts.edu or call (978-654-6745).