DRAFT

Beginning Farmer
Self-Assessment

Crops

Name: Date:

Please assess your proficiency and rank yourself in the information below.

1. Soils and Crop Fertility / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Preventing erosion / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Evaluating cover crop use / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Planting and managing soil building crops / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Understanding the basics of soil health / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Crop incorporation (tilling under) / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Organic matter management / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Interpreting soil test results / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Sourcing off farm inputs (compost, etc.) / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Choosing soil amendments / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Additional competencies
Food safety considerations / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Fundamentals of composting / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Manure windrows / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Foliar feeding / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Compost and plant-based teas / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Vermiculture / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Using synthetic fertility inputs / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Creating a nitrogen budget / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Referencing soil maps / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:
2. Bed/Field Preparation / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Primary tillage/incorporating organic matter / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Secondary tillage/seed bed preparation / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Tractor/implement use / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Alternatives to rototiller use / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Additional competencies
Raised beds / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Plastic mulch / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Field leveling/planeing / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Drainage tiles / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Making furrows/corrugations / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Drainage ditches / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Managing crop residues / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:
3. Plant Care & Culture / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Vegetable crop planning / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Variety/cultivar selection / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Understanding cultural needs of crops / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Direct seeding / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Sourcing transplants / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Transplanting methods / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Crop rotations / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Successional planting/planting calendar / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Production recordkeeping / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Basic concepts of plant botany / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Water use characteristics of various crops / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Additional competencies
Support structures for plants / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Pollination needs / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Grafting, pruning and training / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Row cover uses and strategies / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:
4. Integrated Pest Management / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Weed ID and life cycles / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Cultural, biological, mechanical and chemical control strategies for weeds / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Reducing the soil seed bank / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Understanding the basics of soil health / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Insect ID and life cycles / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Cultural, biological, mechanical and chemical control strategies for insects / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Insect scouting and monitoring / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Treatment thresholds for insects / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Disease ID, hosts and life cycles / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Cultural, biological, mechanical and chemical control strategies for diseases / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Disease scouting and monitoring / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Treatment thresholds for diseases / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Additional competencies
Flame weeding / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Stale bed making / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Plastic mulch / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Beneficial insects / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Beneficial insect habitat / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Row covers / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Trap cropping / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Pesticide education/signage/storage / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Work Protection Standard compliance (EPA) / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:
5. Equipment / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Hand tool use and maintenance / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Selecting appropriate tractor and implements / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Sourcing equipment / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Tractor safety/emergency procedure / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Other power equipment safety/emergency procedures / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Basic tractor operation / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Routine maintenance / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Determining equipment needs / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Additional competencies
Equipment repair / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Fabricating tools and equipment / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:
6. Indoor Growing – Greenhouse, Hoophouse, High tunnel, etc / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Understanding planting media / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Fertility in soil / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Fertility in peat or other hydroponic / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Germination techniques / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Direct seeding techniques / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Transplanting / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Planting schedules / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Assessing water needs/irrigation management / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Hardening off / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Insect and disease management / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
In ground growing / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Heating and cooling / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Additional competencies
Determining structural needs / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Building a greenhouse / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Building a hoophouse/high tunnel / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Making soil mixes / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:
7. Irrigation / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Soil moisture assessment / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Scheduling irrigations / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Quantifying system output / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Determining irrigation run time (minutes) / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Understanding irrigation system requirements / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Pumps and filters / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Planning irrigation systems / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Assessing water quality / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
System maintenance / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Winterization / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Additional competencies
Using evapotranspiration reports for irrigation management / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Finding irrigation resources / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Basics of water rights in Colorado / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Building an irrigation pond / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Water testing for food safety / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:
8. Harvest / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Judging readiness for harvest / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Harvesting techniques and tools / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Managing field heat / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Food safety considerations / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Additional competencies
Forecasting maturity and yield / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Collecting and processing seed / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:
9. Post-Harvest / No Experience / Some Experience / Some experience & some proficiency / Functional proficiency / Advanced proficiency
Core Competencies
Receiving / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Cooling / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Cleaning / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Food safety consideration / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Drying / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Packing / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Labeling / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Dry and cold storage / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Quality control / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Sanitation / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Delivery / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Designing efficient pack area and equipment / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
Total the number of points:

This document and has been adapted by CSU with permission from The Farm Beginnings® Collaborative for the use with Colorado’s Building Farmer’s program. The Farm Beginnings® Collaborative is a national alliance of independent regional groups of farmers and farmer-training support organizations working together to promote Farm Beginnings®, a farmer training model that is community based, rooted in sustainable principles, and farmer led. Use of these materials is by permission from the Farm Beginnings® Collaborative. Please contact Amy Bacigalupo for information at 320-269-2105 or by email at

V1, September 20113

This document has been adapted by CSU with permission from The Farm Beginnings® Collaborative for use with the
Colorado Building Farmers program.