When planning for the winter, consider the great return on scarce agricultural dollars from practical courses at vo-techs and community colleges.  For a fraction of the credit hour cost at private colleges and even state universities, you can get started in skills needed everyday on a farm:  Welding, plumbing, wiring, carpentry, masonry, auto mechanics. 

In my experience the instructor encourages bringing your own project to the class.  I built our first plastic layer while learning welding, and got advice on running underground power to our farm stand concurrent with a wiring class.

The course I most wish I’d taken (the couple of times I tried it was closed) was small engine repair.  I have spent more money than I’d care to admit on fuel and starting problems on mowers, chain saws, and string trimmers, which are about as complex as the digestive tract of insects.

There are books and web sites on these matters.  The self-disciplined can probably do well enough with them.  But most of us need the company and scheduling, indeed like the fellowship of other amateurs and the set times.  Moreover, the jokes are good.  My wiring instructor — a retired electrical contractor — led off with the line, “I’ve never met a smart electrician.”  The welder asked, “How many of you have never struck an arc?”  I was the only one to raise a hand.  Then he asked, “How many of you would never admit to never having struck an arc?” at which the rest of the hands went up.

These courses are cheap, but also popular.  Sign up early.  Also, I have mentioned only hands-on skills.  No doubt courses in small business accounting, web site design, or worker management would pay.  But such are the joys and instant applicability of even rudimentary tradesman competence, I’d favor it over abstract knowledge.  Indeed, even though we willingly spend increasing amounts on the increasingly excellent winter farming conferences, I think a few evenings in the local high school shop alongside retirees and good old boys are the single best winter investment.

Chip Planck has been farming for 35 years at Wheatland Vegetable Farms in Purcellville, Virginia.