Emily Cooper, owner of Full Cellar Farm near Boring, Ore., said her ag operation wouldn’t exist without the Headwaters Farm Business Incubator Program.

She joined the five-year program in 2014 with years of experience, but without savings or acreage.

“It was an opportunity to try out some of my ideas and try starting a farm of my own,” Cooper said.

She was provided with irrigated land, a wash station, a walk-in cooler, tractors and storage.

“It makes it so you can start small and scale up as you get more capital and experience,” Cooper said.

A decade later, she’s growing 50 types of vegetables and harvesting year round for subscription boxes and school sales.

The next cohort

About 90% of the graduates of the Headwaters Farm Business Incubator program are still farming.

More farm incubator coverage

Diversity, Equity, In-fighting: Conservation district confronts urban-rural divide

Small farm thrives during pandemic

Getting started

Beginning farmers get a helping hand

The program, on 60 acres on the outskirts of Gresham, Ore., is accepting applications through Nov. 30 to join its 2025 cohort.

The incubator is designed for experienced farmers who lack the financial resources needed to start their own agricultural operation.

Participants learn more about agriculture and business, lease sections of the property and launch their own farming endeavors.

They also gain access to a network of farmers, conservationists, lawyers, business strategists and educators.

When participants finish the program and establish their business, markets will be in place and they can hit the ground running.

Previous participants

Other graduates have produced medicinal and culinary herbs, strawberries and poultry.

Slow-producing perennial crops and large livestock are challenging with the program structure and space and are generally discouraged.

The incubator hosts about a dozen farm businesses annually and has had 56 graduates.

Roughly 61% of graduates are women and 27% are people of color. Bilingual support is available.

The program participation fee is $400 in addition to land lease, equipment and infrastructure costs.

Part of bigger strategy

The Headwaters Farm Business Incubator Program is owned and managed by the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District and funding comes from its voter-approved tax base.

The program is part of a larger strategy to protect land for agriculture, keep production and farming local and address past and current inequities in farmland access.

The district brings in experts to lead workshops on stewardship-focused classes to teach participants about managing and improving soil health, water conservation and biodiversity.

They have also invested in new technology such as an e-tractor that can be operated and repaired remotely and is powered by solar panels on the farm’s roof.

A big support system

Lindsay Goldberg grows cut flowers with Fawn Lily Farm in Troutdale, Ore., and Oregon City, Ore.

Ten years ago she jumped into farming without much practical experience. Naturally, she struggled.

“Looking back, it was a little bit insane,” she said.

The Headwaters farm incubator gave her insights on bed preparation, seed starting and weeding.

“All these little tips and techniques you wouldn’t know,” Goldberg said.

Besides the lessons and infrastructure, there was a sense of community and camaraderie in the program.

“Farming is really hard and it can be really isolating,” Goldberg said.

Fellow graduates serve as a support system, giving her motivation as well as help with solving ag problems.