Tilth Conference

Schedule

Schedule

Dig Into the Financial Dirt: Spend, Save, Invest, and Protect

  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 28
  • Time: 10:30-11:45 a.m.
  • Speakers: Jess Sarsfield, AgWest Farm Credit; SharonAnn Hamilton, Washington Small Business Development Center
  • Location: Bldg. 202, Room 3
  • Track: Track C

Part 1: The Dirt

What could be possible when you treat your farm as if it’s a business? Are you working to just pay the bills or to help your family thrive? Learn more skills around financial planning for you, your family, your farm and your community.

Like your farm, your financial well-being must be tended, tilled, planted, watered, and harvested. It’s a skill and an art. And just like learning to farm, you can learn the financial gardening that is financial planning.

This presentation will dive into farming as a lifestyle and personal ecosystem, and how to manage it more like a business. The Washington Small Business Development Center is here to help. At the end of the day, we all want to learn how to make more, spend wisely, diversify, and protect it. After all it’s for the benefit of you, your farm, your family, and the community around you. You will leave with a new way of thinking and resources (mental composting) and knowledge for an improved life.

Part 2: Access to Capital – AgWest Farm Credit

What are the factors that go into a loan decision and how can you best prepare for your lender? Learn tips for improving your credit score so you can get the financing you want at competitive rates. Plus, find out why your business should have a balance sheet and the benefits to you and your business for completing this quick and easy business tool.

About the Speakers

  • Jess Sarsfield

    AgWest Farm Credit

    Jess Sarsfield is a loan officer at AgWest Farm Credit, supporting young, beginning, and small producers in the AgVision program. Working in Western Washington and Alaska, Jess works with farmers and fishermen. Jess received a Business Management degree from Brigham Young University-Hawaii and has been in the financial services industry for over 10 years. AgVision is a program specifically designed to support the success of young, beginning, and small (YBS) producers. All of us in agriculture are responsible for launching the next generation of promising YBS producers. Many grew up in agriculture, while others are entering agriculture for the first time. Helping YBS producers run their businesses successfully is an integral part of the cooperative mission at AgWest Farm Credit.   

  • SharonAnn Hamilton

    Washington Small Business Development Center

    SharonAnn Hamilton is a Washington Small Business Development Center Certified Business Advisor, MBA, MSFS, and CFP Certified Money Coach.