Develop your farm from within, by BEING rather than doing.
applications now open
Aligned Farm Design was created to fill a need to think more holistically and innovatively about business development and accessing land and capital.
This 6-week course is designed to serve farmers & future farmers struggling with some or all of the following:
- Breaking your body and feeling like there’s not enough time to do everything
- Sacrificing important time with family and friends to invest in time building the business
- Trying to buy more land in the hopes that scaling up will be the key to profitability
- Letting fear stop you from expressing your real authenticity with those around you
- Not looking at your financial statements because they confuse you or it seems insurmountable to tackle
- Lack of clarity around how to find the resources to make your farm idea a reality
- Overwhelm with all of the state and federal farming loan and grant programs
IMAGINE IF YOU WERE ABLE TO LEVERAGE YOUR BODY’S NATURAL RHYTHMS AND UNIQUE DESIGN TO CREATE A FARM BUSINESS THAT REFLECTS YOUR PERSONALITY, FLOW, AND STRENGTHS.
The current systems that we operate in today put small- and medium-scale farmers at a disadvantage, with most resources supporting larger operations, consolidation, and efficiency. All of this at the expense of the health of ourselves, our family, our mindset, and our hearts. In taking away this connection to self- and nature’s cycles – we find ourselves more and more separated from living meaningful lives and living in our purpose.
What is holistic business design?
Farmer training programs today currently work to equip farmers with technical skills that can assist them in creating a business plan, a marketing strategy, understanding basic soil health principles, basics of farm cash flow and finance. All of these are critically important skills, many of which end up becoming something that is learned on the job, out in the field, or behind a computer screen. However, there’s a missing link.
Over the course of steeping myself deeply in the world of personal growth and development, and more recently, spirituality and human design, I’ve found that doing the hard work on myself, cultivating practices of mindfulness, meditation, forgiveness, and gratitude, as well as a number of other helpful habits and lifestyle changes, I question my big dreams a lot less, I get more excited about overcoming challenges I face, and I have a much greater sense of inner peace without feeling like I have to rush to build what I’m creating. The perception of abundance as a lens for seeing the world has become my new normal.
These subtle shifts in my life have, over the years, allowed me to travel the world for very cheap, experience wild adventures that I feel are things only seen in movies, become much healthier in both mind and body, and attract friendships and relationships that are nurturing for my soul. I’m not saying my life is perfect, by any means. I cry on a regular basis, I still suck at mental math, but every interaction I have is an opportunity to PRACTICE being me, in all of my wholeness. I don’t always get it right, I make mistakes left and right, but I also feel much less anxiety over the little stuff.
I’m a firm believer that what’s missing in the landscape of farmer training programs today is this very personal, intimate, mindset-centered approach in which the guiding belief is “You have absolutely everything you need and if not it’s on its way” rather than “Here are the government programs that are available and here is how you navigate them”. Farming is one of the most challenging professions on the planet. Not only are you dealing with the unpredictability of consumer trends – let alone a pandemic in 2022 – but you’re navigating climate variability. The result is a profession with some of the highest suicide rates, and unfortunately ‘mental health’ is not a main focus of training programs today.
- The majority of the information that you need to help you reframe your mindset can be found for free.
- When you live in your authenticity you create magnetism that draws in amazing people, experiences, and opportunities into your life.
- When you’re forced to explain your ideas to others, you naturally gain clarity around your purpose and values, which can drive you down a path of exploration and curiosity.
Why did I create this course?
Having gone through three beginning farmer training programs myself, I found myself constantly getting stuck in a pattern of operating on theoretical terms, as I was not in a mental state or place in my educational pathway in which I felt I had enough clarity to take action on the farm dream that I had. As early as high school, I had come up with a farm-to-table bed and breakfast concept that I submitted for my entrepreneurship course, soon followed by a farm vision based around celebrating the aboriginal foods of Australia that I would open with my sister, and later a concept blending personal growth education, research, and food production into an international experience and spiritual garden (the jury is still out on where that one’s going…).
What I found in the many classes that I took, however, was a lack of focus on the power of thoughts, and how our own beliefs trap us into limiting ourselves, both in what we believe is possible in terms of success, and in turning down opportunities or energetically pushing them away because our subconscious tells us that we are not worthy, good enough, able to be loved, or a number of other thought patterns that become ingrained within us from a very early age.
I want to create a different option for people – the program that I wish I had access to when I was first exploring what my own farming aspirations would look like. I have a deep desire to build a movement of global farmer changemakers who are confident in themselves, are able to make a living wage and provide for their families, and contribute in a meaningful way to their community.
What does the course actually do?
We’re going to work on upleveling your mindset to attract and sustain the resources to build your farm dream. This course is designed to do the following:
Learn how to leverage your personal identity, human design, and spiritual practices in your business design and daily operations
Build community among like-minded farmers
Learn how to eliminate debt and fast track your path to accessing land and capital for your farm
Practical tools & resources to support you in developing practices of spirituality, mindfulness, and manifestation
Cultivate an abundance mindset that will help you navigate uncertainty and challenges with greater ease
Develop a roadmap to guide you in your next steps for launching your business
Who this program ISN'T for:
- Those looking for quick and easy, silver bullet solutions for their business endeavors
- Self-help skeptics
- Someone who recently inherited a farm and is planning on managing it in the same way it has always been
- Those more concerned about the bottom line than environmental or social benefits of the operation
- Those afraid of looking themselves in the mirror and confronting the realities of their current situation
- Those who are looking to maintain growing as a side-hobby or something fun to do when you have the time
- People seeking to enroll from a place of desperation vs. devotion. That is, the impulse to join should come from a place of love instead of panic, stress, or anxiety
Here's what you'll get inside of Aligned Farm Design for just $950:
- 6, 90-minute online group evening sessions Thursday evenings: August 1st, 15th, 22nd, and 29th from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
- In-person cabin retreat September 6-8th in Menahga (evening of 6th-Mid-day 8th)
- Weekly homework assignments to apply new concepts in real-time and resource lists to deepen your learning and develop practical skills and habits
- Weekly course material via audio, written materials, worksheets, and exercises
- An assigned accountability buddy based on your application materials
- Personalized feedback from experts in the field on your farm roadmap & accountability plan
- Lifetime access to all worksheets, class recordings post-program
- Bonuses: FB group, resource library, access to speakers & guest coaches
A look at the course modules, in-depth:
What’s the relationship between your identity and your business? Pretty much everything. But what does it look like to have these two integrated with each other so that you feel whole in everything you do?
- Start to uncover your own soul’s purpose via human design (note: This is NOT the same as human-centered design)
- Become familiar with examples of how others have leveraged their personal identity and human design, spiritual practices in their business design and daily operations
- Read case studies of how this looks in the farming landscape
- Complete your own real-world exercise of acting in alignment with your human design
- Learn about the relationship between thoughts, beliefs, and actions
- Become familiar with examples of how others have shifted their lives by doing the deep inner work on their mindset and emotional wellbeing via deep self-work
- Learn how manifestation, an abundance mindset, and eliminating student debt can fast track your path to achieving your goals
- Understand the link between mindset and accessing land/capital
- Familiarize yourself with models that farmers have used to develop streams of passive income
- Explore the 8 forms of capital
- Become familiar with where and how to identify high-value market opportunities
- Learn about businesses that are pushing the boundaries and working to create a new foundation for our economy and the natural world
- Develop a master list of monetary and non-monetary resources that can support you in every area of your business
- Develop your own roadmap for success
- Receive real-time feedback from your cohort and guest food systems/farming/human design/financial experts
- Break down your large vision into concrete goals and strategies that will help you reach them
Become confident in the highly customized roadmap you’ve built for yourself
Understand the neuroscience behind building habits
Gain access to resources to build your own accountability and organizational systems
Develop an accountability system that takes into consideration your own learning style and human design
Members-only FB community
Resource library that’s co-created and unique to the cohort
Exclusive access to guest speakers and course teachers that would ordinarily cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, to work with 1:1
In-Person Retreat: September 6-8, 2024
Disconnect with us in stunning Menahga, Minnesota, on Duck Lake for an unforgettable weekend of conversation, reflection, mutual support, and nourishment.
We’ll be staying at a truly “North Woods” cabin and 1973 fully-restored, vintage aluminum-hulled Avion 28 foot RV, with shoreline on Duck Lake, just under 2 acres with 100 feet of shore on Duck Lake + 100 feet of shore on the Shell River.
Weekend Itinerary*:
Friday:
- Evening arrival + welcome group dinner
Saturday:
- Breakfast + mindful morning movement
- Facilitated group conversation + intention setting
- Excursion/activity – Getting on the water, hiking at Hunterville State Forest
- Lunch
- Time on your own/hang out with others in the afternoon
- Group dinner
Sunday:
- Breakfast + mindful morning movement
- Close-out reflection chat + journaling + gratitude activity
- Check out of lodging + drive to Itasca state park
- Group hike + lunch
*Itinerary subject to change based on weather and what activities that allows us to engage in.*
Extras available for an additional fee:
- Massage therapy
A Deeper Look at Our Space
Course Options: Online or Hybrid
Note: Payment plans are available for both the full and online-only course. Payment is due upon acceptance into the course.
For those available and excited about joining us not only for class online, but in-person September 6-8th.
$950 or 2 payments of $450, billed monthly.
For those who want to go through the entire curriculum with us but are unavailable or not interested in the in-person retreat September 6-8.
$650 or 2 payments of $325, billed monthly.
The Megan Gladbach Memorial Scholarship is a competitive scholarship that is available to students of our online courses in honor of Megan Gladbach, who died in a fatal car crash on May 29th, 2022 when hit by a drunk driver.
Applicants who receive this scholarship embody Megan’s qualities of environmental stewardship, humility, passion, and humanism. They uphold the high standards that she set in the way that she showed up in the world and inspired others to do better.
Meet your Guest Speakers
Elyse knows what it’s like to feel lost and burned out. After spending 5 years over giving and losing her connection with herself while working in the non-profit sector, she set out on a journey to learn how to better care for herself and her community. This journey led her to pursue a yoga teacher certification, Human Design Reader Training, creative business coaching, and a Masters Degree in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership.
In her work as the founder of Be More Connected she helps ambitious and heart centered changemakers gravitate away from burnout and self-extraction and towards more sustainable and liberating ways of living, working and relating.
In her business so far, she’s been able to host 3 virtual summits, lead 5 group programs, grow her email list from 0 to 2,000 subscribers, launch a podcast, and expand Be More Connected from a side passion to a full-time business.
She is excited to support leaders and changemakers doing the courageous work of learning to love and transform themselves, so that they can love and transform their communities – without abandoning themselves and their own needs in the process. Learn more about Elyse on her website, www.elysepreston.com, and on Instagram @iamelysepreston.
Stay tuned as we continue to secure our guest speakers!
Stay tuned as we continue to secure our guest speakers!
Stay tuned as we continue to secure our guest speakers!
Is this right for me?
If you’re feeling called to join us, trust that you’ll know. Let your body tell you. And if you’re on the fence, do stay in the loop and continue to follow our work, as I’ve got lots of exciting ideas and projects on the horizon for which I’d like to help people that just requires your time – listening, reading, perhaps doing different journaling exercises on your own…I’m anxious to hear more from this community about what will best serve them in their needs, to provide a service that’s responsive, timely, and of course, providing a lot of value. All that is to say, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, comments, or to subscribe to our newsletter (scroll to the bottom of this page to sign up if you haven’t already).
More about the course creator: Emily Reno
Hi there! I am a second generation Mexican-American, a Lawrence, Kansas native, and I’m so excited to meet you! Having spent much of my younger years working in various segments of the food system, working as a waitress, in housekeeping, on farms, in agricultural research, and now in community and economic development, I’ve been building a diverse portfolio of experiences to understand the dance between magical and practical. At the same time, in my own spiritual and personal growth journey, I’ve understood that there are simple, timeless themes - mindset, forgiveness, and gratitude, among others - that allow people to navigate the world with greater ease, inner peace, and joy. While I know that anyone, in any industry, would benefit from improving their mindset, I’m particularly interested in serving the underdogs, like me, in the world of farming. I’m stoked to ignite a community that stems from a place of love and passion, curiosity and commitment to self, as a foundation for new farmers everywhere to go forth, build transformative farms, and bring aligned wealth to rural communities. From first-hand experience, I can say that I’ve been there. I’ve put energy in the wrong places, failed to listen to my intuition, went down paths guided by ‘shoulds’ versus following what I knew to be right for me, and had to learn to own my mistakes, do the deep and constant inner work to heal my relationships with others, and now find myself living a much more grounded, fulfilling, healthy, and adventurous life. I’d love for you to join me in this great experiment!
FAQs
Not at all! This is for folks that have little to no experience with the concepts of human design. We’ll be covering this for beginners, and provide advanced readings and resources for folks to go deeper.
Most definitely! I use spirituality and personal growth somewhat interchangeably for the purpose of this course, because we’re really just focused on mindset and mindfulness practices! Some people would classify this as ‘spirituality’ and others might classify it as ‘personal growth’. We’re focused on linking the relationship between your thoughts, beliefs, actions, and your ability to access land and capital. So if you’re just looking for a list of resources and people, this is not a good fit for you.
Class kicks off on Tuesday, November 1st at 6:00 p.m. CST. Each session is 90 minutes via Zoom.
Class dates:
November 1st
November 8th
November 15th
*Break for the week of Thanksgiving*
November 29th
December 6th
December 13th
If you have a conflict with any one of these dates, we ask that you hold off on applying until the next course becomes available, as it is the intention of this program for folks to bring their full commitment to this work and to each other. We also understand that life happens, and that unforeseen circumstances may prevent you from attending all class sessions, in which case we will ensure that all students get access to the course content, even if in a recorded format.
No matter where you’re at in your beginning farm journey, we’re targeting those along a fairly wide spectrum of experience. That is, folks who have recently decided to farm and are looking for clarity around the idea or the approach, folks who have already identified the specifics of the what and where and are now looking for specific resources, as well as those who may already have access to land/capital, and are looking to build community among fellow emerging farmers. If you’ve got a year or so under your belt in production but feel like you could use assistance in the sustainability of running your operation, this is also an excellent fit, as we’re focused on building up the sustainability of the biggest asset of your farm – YOU!
100% yes. Our course facilitators will be available during regular business hours to respond to questions via email, and will be happy to set up 1:1 time to reduce any technology-related barriers to participation.
With the platform we’re using to share course materials, an iPad, laptop, or desktop computer is required. You will not likely be able to access the information easily via phone, therefore, for the best learning experience, we recommend a computer. If you have any concerns about your internet connection prohibiting your participation, please do not hesitate to reach out to us for troubleshooting opportunities you may have locally to access high-speed internet for class and homework completion.
Because of the nature of the design of this course, which requires you to integrate what you’re learning into your life and follow-through on the assigned weekly tasks, I do not guarantee results or offer refunds. That being said, I know from personal experience that showing up with your whole self and dedicating the time outside of class to ‘doing the work’ will have tremendous results, even if they are subtle and don’t show up right away. We encourage and collect feedback each week to ensure that students receive all the resources they need to create a customized experience and ensure that the value provided goes beyond what students expect.
We do offer a competitive scholarship! Check it out here. We are also currently working with partners to offer special pricing for specific farmer-member and farmer-serving organizations. These will be integrated into the general application as they become available.
