The fourth annual Growers Academy will return this year, offered again by The Virginia Tech Catawba Sustainability Center. The Growers Academy is “a series of courses specifically designed to help new and transitioning agricultural businesses succeed. An eight week learning series focused on low input, small scale production and starting your own agribusiness,” according to the Growers Academy page on the Viriginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education website.

Instructors include resource professionals and farm business owners.

Topics include:

• Planning for Success: Setting Goals and Establishing Targets
• Soils and Composting
• Marketing
• Business Plan Development
• Equipment for Small Farms
• Preventative Pests and Weed Management
• Crop Production and Planning
• Business Plan Review
• Farm Tour on Saturday, March 9

The class will meet on Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 22 to March 12 (with no class on Feb. 19) at the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center in the Roanoke Higher Education Building, located at 108 N. Jefferson St. in Roanoke.

For more information, contact Josh Nease, manager at the Catawba Sustainability Center, by emailing jnease@vt.edu or calling 540-553-2311. You can also find the Catawba Sustainability Center on Facebook or online here.