Upstart University Courses

We’ve organized the courses from the top-down (lowest to highest numbers) in order of difficulty and logical progression for your business. Any courses without a course number are appropriate to take any time as needed or desired. Enjoy!

Want to know which courses YOU should take and when? Take this quiz and get a customized learning plan! 

Free
USU 1000

1000: Goals & Action Planning for Your Upstart Farm

To get started, let's assess your farm goals, analyze your current position, and organize an official timeline to keep things moving forward. By the end of this course, you'll have an action plan and mission statement!

Free
Crops

1010: Hydroponic and Aquaponic Crops

By the end of this course, you'll have a good understanding of the different crop choices you have available to you as a hydroponic or aquaponic farmer and how to grow them successfully.

Free
Growing and selling microgreens

1011: Growing & Selling Microgreens

If you're a first time grower looking to develop your "green thumb" while starting to build a profitable basis for you farm, this course is for you! Microgreens are easy and cheap to grow, are saleable for a premium, and have incredible margins. In this course, you'll learn how to approach, grow, and sell microgreens successfully.

Free
USU 2010

1020: The Four Markets

Upstart Farmers primarily serve four markets: Farmers' Markets, CSAs, Restaurants, and Grocery Stores. In this course, learn the benefits, challenges, and success strategies of each.

Social Media Marketing for Farmers

1021: Social Media Marketing for Farmers

In this course, learn the most effective secrets for using strategic social media marketing to promote your farm, conducting market research, and advertising your farm on a small budget.

Free
Farmers Market Success

1022: Farmers’ Market Success

In this course, you'll learn the steps of getting accepted into a competitive farmers' market and then how to make a good, lasting impression once you’re in. This includes how to impress not only all of the customers at the market, but also your market manager and even your fellow vendors.

Free
Production method

1030: Choosing Your Production Method

In this course, you will learn about DWC, NFT, media beds, Bato buckets, aeroponics and vertical production including how each works and which are right for your farm.

Free
DWC

1031: Aquaponic DWC: Design & Economics

Learn how to create a basic conceptual design for an aquaponic farm, layout fish tanks, filtration, and growing systems, determine plant and fish production, estimate farm revenue and expenses, and more.

Free
Bato Buckets

1032: Bato Buckets & Vine Crop Production

Bato buckets are a popular hydroponic system for growing vining crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. Whether they're your stand-alone growing method, or a supplementary system, they make a great addition to any farm.

Free
Understanding ZipGrow

1033: Understanding ZipGrow

Vertical growing is increasingly becoming a prominent hydroponic production method in urban, indoor and greenhouse environments. This course is for anyone looking to understand ZipGrow vertical growing technology,

Free
Market Research for Farmers

1039: Market Research for Farmers

Before writing your business plan, pulling money out of savings, or even trying to get an investor, you must determine if your business idea is feasible through market research. Learn how to conduct market research as a farmer in this course.

Free
USU 1040

1040: Intro to Business Planning

When you're looking to start an Upstart Farm, a business plan is essential. This course will walk you through the 6 key sections of a business plan and how to research and write each.

Free
USU 2000

1050: Funding Your Farm

In this course, you will organize prerequisite documents for funding, explore options to organically scale or self-fund your business, learn the basics of crowdfunding, discover USDA microloans for farmers, and identify potential grant opportunities for your farm.

Free
Sales for Farmers

1055: Sales for Farmers

Most people don't get into farming to become a salesperson. But, when it comes down to it, part of your role as a farmer is to sell. Being a good salesperson is actually easier than you think, and it can be one of the keys to making your business a success. And we’re going to show you how.

Free
Farm Compliance and Food Safety

1060: Farm Compliance and Food Safety

If you're selling your produce, odds are that you'll need to understand Food Safety/HACCP, sanitation procedures, compliance, and Food Defense before many markets accept you. Get the info you need in this course.

Free
Farm Insurance Webinar

1070: Farm Insurance: Finding the Right Policy

In this webinar course, we’re going to help you navigate farm insurance and understand how to get the right policy for your modern farm.

Free
Humidity Management

1090: Humidity Management: Tools & Tech for Indoor Growers

Humidity is a big problem for indoor growers. In this course, you'll learn what humidity is, how it affects your plants, and how to control it properly.

Free
HVAC Design

1091: HVAC Design for Indoor Growers

This course will introduce HVAC design concepts and systems used for managing the climate of an indoor growing operation, including information on systems, sizing, designs, costs, and more.

Free
Heating and Cooling Greenhouses

1092: Energy Efficient Heating & Cooling for Greenhouses

Wondering how to heat or cool a greenhouse effectively, in a way that is sustainable and energy-efficient. If so, you're in the right place.

Free
Lighting

1099: Lighting for Upstart Farmers

Light and lighting is hugely important for planning your vertical farm. Learn the fundamentals of lighting for Upstart Farmers in this course.

Free

2000: Seeds & Seedlings

Need help with seed starting? In this course, learn everything from seed anatomy, sourcing, and storage, to optimal growth practices, storage, and transplantation for seedlings.

Free
Insect Pest Management

2010: Insect Pest Management

Understanding how to properly manage insect pest problems on your farm will help you be successful and profitable. In this course, learn insect ecology, management and applications.

Free

2020: Plant Pathology for Upstart Farmers

This course will explain how pathogens function in an ecology, what pathogens are and what makes one different from another, what they do in your farm, control methods, and some common pathogens and their controls.

Free
Hydroponics Course

2030: Intro to Hydroponics

Looking to run a hydroponic system? This course will give you a full walkthrough of everything you need to know to get started and be successful including system and nutrient management, crop management, plumbing and layouts, and more.

Free

2040: Hydroponic Nutrients & Fertilizers

Properly understanding how nutrients and fertilizers work in a hydroponic system, as well as how to mix and manage them, is vital to your farm's success. This course provides a variety of visual explanations and demonstrations of hydroponic nutrients and fertilizers to help you master this important concept.

Free
Foundations of Aquaponics

2050: Foundations of Aquaponics

Looking to start an aquaponic farm? This course provides over 12 hours of in-depth information on how to start and run an aquaponic system successfully. Appropriate for all experience levels!

Free
Intro to Aquaponics

Intro to Aquaponics – Mini Course

This course focuses on how things work in aquaponic systems, why they work that way, and what this means for your decision to go with hydroponics or aquaponics.

Aquaponic System Design – Mini Course

The Aquaponic System Design Course exists to give people the theoretical, scientific and practical basis for designing, starting and managing aquaponic systems of all sizes.

Hydroponic Substrate Selection

Hydroponic Substrate Selection – Mini Course

Hydroponic medium & substrate selection is one of the most important grower decisions! Learn which plugs, media, and other substrates are right for you in this course.

Free
Farm to Food Truck Model

The Farm to Food Truck Model – Mini Course

Starting out small? Want to have a successful farming business, but maintain flexibility? Looking for a creative way to serve your market? Then the farm to food truck model might be for you. By the end of this online course, you'll know whether or not farm to food truck is a good business model for your personal and business goals and your market, and how to get started and succeed with it.

Free

Greenhouses for Small Farmers – Mini Course

A greenhouse can be a rather intimidating investment - not just because cost, but also because it involves a lot of decision making which can impact your ability to grow crops efficiently. In this course, we'll answer your most urgent questions and help simplify the process.

LED Lighting for Indoor Farmers – Mini Course

Whether you're growing indoors or just providing supplemental lighting for the plants in your greenhouse, LED lighting should be on your radar. Get the info you need in this course.

Free
Intro to Organics

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 1: Intro to Organics – Mini Course

In this course, we'll focus on the relevant laws surrounding organic production in the United States, including labeling, pros and cons, practices and issues facing organic producers, and more.

Free
Basic Legal Research

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 2: Basic Legal Research Skills – Mini Course

This course will outline a strategy for conducting your own legal research, discuss the resources you'll need and how to access them, and how to apply them.

Labeling & Weighing

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 3: Intro Food Labeling & Weighing – Mini Course

Proper labeling and weighing of produce is a regulatory area that every Upstart Farmer will encounter. Learn the proper techniques & methods in this course.

Crowdfunding Campaign Success

Crowdfunding Campaign Success – Mini Course

This webinar course dives deep into the most important elements for having a successful campaign including things like how to authentically earn community support, what gifts to give, how to master your social and email promotions, and even how to turn your campaign success into long-term sales.

Free
Organic Hydroponic Advocacy

Organic Hydroponic Advocacy – Mini Course

In this course, we'll discuss the organic industry and markets, and the debate of hydroponics organics. We'll look at the answers that policy makers have created to the containerized organic agriculture question and how that affects real farmers.

Free
Upstart Farmers Green Wall Course

Green Walls for Restaurants – Mini Course

In this mini course, guest lecturer Teryl Chapel of City Planet Farms, gives insight into how to contract green walls for restaurants.

 

Upstart University Courses: Detailed View

We’ve organized the courses from the top-down (lowest to highest numbers) in order of difficulty and logical progression for your business. Any courses without a course number are appropriate to take any time as needed or desired. Enjoy!

Want to know which courses YOU should take and when? Take this quiz and get a customized learning plan! 

.

Upstart University Orientation

Learn More

1000 Level Courses

.

1000: Goals & Action Planning for Your Upstart Farm

Learn More

1010: Hydroponic and Aquaponic Crops

Learn More

1011: Growing & Selling Microgreens

Learn More

1020: The Four Markets

Learn More

1021: Social Media Marketing for Farmers

Learn More

1022: Farmers’ Market Success

Learn More

1030: Choosing Your Production Method

Learn More

1031: Aquaponic DWC: Design & Economics

Learn More

1032: Bato Buckets & Vine Crop Production

Learn More

1033: Understanding ZipGrow

Learn More

1039: Market Research for Farmers

Learn More

1050: Funding Your Farm

Learn More

1055: Sales for Farmers

Learn More

1060: Farm Compliance and Food Safety

Learn More

1070: Farm Insurance: Finding the Right Policy

Learn More

1090: Humidity Management: Tools & Tech for Indoor Growers

Learn More

1091: HVAC Design for Indoor Growers

Learn More

1092: Energy Efficient Heating & Cooling for Greenhouses

Learn More

1099: Lighting for Upstart Farmers

Learn More

2000 Level Courses

.

2000: Seeds & Seedlings

Learn More

2010: Insect Pest Management

Learn More

2020: Plant Pathology for Upstart Farmers

Learn More

2030: Intro to Hydroponics

Learn More

2040: Hydroponic Nutrients & Fertilizers

Learn More

Mini Courses

.

Intro to Aquaponics – Mini Course

Learn More

Aquaponic System Design – Mini Course

Learn More

Hydroponic Substrate Selection – Mini Course

Learn More

The Farm to Food Truck Model – Mini Course

Learn More

Greenhouses for Small Farmers – Mini Course

Learn More

LED Lighting for Indoor Farmers – Mini Course

Learn More

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 1: Intro to Organics – Mini Course

Learn More

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 2: Basic Legal Research Skills – Mini Course

Learn More

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 3: Intro Food Labeling & Weighing – Mini Course

Learn More

Crowdfunding Campaign Success – Mini Course

Learn More

Organic Hydroponic Advocacy – Mini Course

Learn More

SketchUp Basics – Mini Course

Learn More

Green Walls for Restaurants – Mini Course

Learn More

UPSTART U COURSES

We’ve organized the courses from the top-down (lowest to highest numbers) in order of difficulty and logical progression for your business. Any courses without a course number are appropriate to take any time as needed or desired. Enjoy!

Want to know which courses YOU should take and when? Take this quiz and get a customized learning plan!

Free
USU 1000

1000: Goals & Action Planning for Your Upstart Farm

To get started, let's assess your farm goals, analyze your current position, and organize an official timeline to keep things moving forward. By the end of this course, you'll have an action plan and mission statement!

Free
Crops

1010: Hydroponic and Aquaponic Crops

By the end of this course, you'll have a good understanding of the different crop choices you have available to you as a hydroponic or aquaponic farmer and how to grow them successfully.

Free
Growing and selling microgreens

1011: Growing & Selling Microgreens

If you're a first time grower looking to develop your "green thumb" while starting to build a profitable basis for you farm, this course is for you! Microgreens are easy and cheap to grow, are saleable for a premium, and have incredible margins. In this course, you'll learn how to approach, grow, and sell microgreens successfully.

Free
USU 2010

1020: The Four Markets

Upstart Farmers primarily serve four markets: Farmers' Markets, CSAs, Restaurants, and Grocery Stores. In this course, learn the benefits, challenges, and success strategies of each.

Social Media Marketing for Farmers

1021: Social Media Marketing for Farmers

In this course, learn the most effective secrets for using strategic social media marketing to promote your farm, conducting market research, and advertising your farm on a small budget.

Free
Farmers Market Success

1022: Farmers’ Market Success

In this course, you'll learn the steps of getting accepted into a competitive farmers' market and then how to make a good, lasting impression once you’re in. This includes how to impress not only all of the customers at the market, but also your market manager and even your fellow vendors.

Free
Production method

1030: Choosing Your Production Method

In this course, you will learn about DWC, NFT, media beds, Bato buckets, aeroponics and vertical production including how each works and which are right for your farm.

Free
DWC

1031: Aquaponic DWC: Design & Economics

Learn how to create a basic conceptual design for an aquaponic farm, layout fish tanks, filtration, and growing systems, determine plant and fish production, estimate farm revenue and expenses, and more.

Free
Bato Buckets

1032: Bato Buckets & Vine Crop Production

Bato buckets are a popular hydroponic system for growing vining crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc. Whether they're your stand-alone growing method, or a supplementary system, they make a great addition to any farm.

Free
Understanding ZipGrow

1033: Understanding ZipGrow

Vertical growing is increasingly becoming a prominent hydroponic production method in urban, indoor and greenhouse environments. This course is for anyone looking to understand ZipGrow vertical growing technology,

Free
Market Research for Farmers

1039: Market Research for Farmers

Before writing your business plan, pulling money out of savings, or even trying to get an investor, you must determine if your business idea is feasible through market research. Learn how to conduct market research as a farmer in this course.

Free
USU 1040

1040: Intro to Business Planning

When you're looking to start an Upstart Farm, a business plan is essential. This course will walk you through the 6 key sections of a business plan and how to research and write each.

Free
USU 2000

1050: Funding Your Farm

In this course, you will organize prerequisite documents for funding, explore options to organically scale or self-fund your business, learn the basics of crowdfunding, discover USDA microloans for farmers, and identify potential grant opportunities for your farm.

Free
Sales for Farmers

1055: Sales for Farmers

Most people don't get into farming to become a salesperson. But, when it comes down to it, part of your role as a farmer is to sell. Being a good salesperson is actually easier than you think, and it can be one of the keys to making your business a success. And we’re going to show you how.

Free
Farm Compliance and Food Safety

1060: Farm Compliance and Food Safety

If you're selling your produce, odds are that you'll need to understand Food Safety/HACCP, sanitation procedures, compliance, and Food Defense before many markets accept you. Get the info you need in this course.

Free
Farm Insurance Webinar

1070: Farm Insurance: Finding the Right Policy

In this webinar course, we’re going to help you navigate farm insurance and understand how to get the right policy for your modern farm.

Free
Humidity Management

1090: Humidity Management: Tools & Tech for Indoor Growers

Humidity is a big problem for indoor growers. In this course, you'll learn what humidity is, how it affects your plants, and how to control it properly.

Free
HVAC Design

1091: HVAC Design for Indoor Growers

This course will introduce HVAC design concepts and systems used for managing the climate of an indoor growing operation, including information on systems, sizing, designs, costs, and more.

Free
Heating and Cooling Greenhouses

1092: Energy Efficient Heating & Cooling for Greenhouses

Wondering how to heat or cool a greenhouse effectively, in a way that is sustainable and energy-efficient. If so, you're in the right place.

Free
Lighting

1099: Lighting for Upstart Farmers

Light and lighting is hugely important for planning your vertical farm. Learn the fundamentals of lighting for Upstart Farmers in this course.

Free

2000: Seeds & Seedlings

Need help with seed starting? In this course, learn everything from seed anatomy, sourcing, and storage, to optimal growth practices, storage, and transplantation for seedlings.

Free
Insect Pest Management

2010: Insect Pest Management

Understanding how to properly manage insect pest problems on your farm will help you be successful and profitable. In this course, learn insect ecology, management and applications.

Free

2020: Plant Pathology for Upstart Farmers

This course will explain how pathogens function in an ecology, what pathogens are and what makes one different from another, what they do in your farm, control methods, and some common pathogens and their controls.

Free
Hydroponics Course

2030: Intro to Hydroponics

Looking to run a hydroponic system? This course will give you a full walkthrough of everything you need to know to get started and be successful including system and nutrient management, crop management, plumbing and layouts, and more.

Free

2040: Hydroponic Nutrients & Fertilizers

Properly understanding how nutrients and fertilizers work in a hydroponic system, as well as how to mix and manage them, is vital to your farm's success. This course provides a variety of visual explanations and demonstrations of hydroponic nutrients and fertilizers to help you master this important concept.

Free
Foundations of Aquaponics

2050: Foundations of Aquaponics

Looking to start an aquaponic farm? This course provides over 12 hours of in-depth information on how to start and run an aquaponic system successfully. Appropriate for all experience levels!

Free
Intro to Aquaponics

Intro to Aquaponics – Mini Course

This course focuses on how things work in aquaponic systems, why they work that way, and what this means for your decision to go with hydroponics or aquaponics.

Aquaponic System Design – Mini Course

The Aquaponic System Design Course exists to give people the theoretical, scientific and practical basis for designing, starting and managing aquaponic systems of all sizes.

Hydroponic Substrate Selection

Hydroponic Substrate Selection – Mini Course

Hydroponic medium & substrate selection is one of the most important grower decisions! Learn which plugs, media, and other substrates are right for you in this course.

Free
Farm to Food Truck Model

The Farm to Food Truck Model – Mini Course

Starting out small? Want to have a successful farming business, but maintain flexibility? Looking for a creative way to serve your market? Then the farm to food truck model might be for you. By the end of this online course, you'll know whether or not farm to food truck is a good business model for your personal and business goals and your market, and how to get started and succeed with it.

Free

Greenhouses for Small Farmers – Mini Course

A greenhouse can be a rather intimidating investment - not just because cost, but also because it involves a lot of decision making which can impact your ability to grow crops efficiently. In this course, we'll answer your most urgent questions and help simplify the process.

LED Lighting for Indoor Farmers – Mini Course

Whether you're growing indoors or just providing supplemental lighting for the plants in your greenhouse, LED lighting should be on your radar. Get the info you need in this course.

Free
Intro to Organics

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 1: Intro to Organics – Mini Course

In this course, we'll focus on the relevant laws surrounding organic production in the United States, including labeling, pros and cons, practices and issues facing organic producers, and more.

Free
Basic Legal Research

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 2: Basic Legal Research Skills – Mini Course

This course will outline a strategy for conducting your own legal research, discuss the resources you'll need and how to access them, and how to apply them.

Labeling & Weighing

Law for Upstart Farmers – Part 3: Intro Food Labeling & Weighing – Mini Course

Proper labeling and weighing of produce is a regulatory area that every Upstart Farmer will encounter. Learn the proper techniques & methods in this course.

Crowdfunding Campaign Success

Crowdfunding Campaign Success – Mini Course

This webinar course dives deep into the most important elements for having a successful campaign including things like how to authentically earn community support, what gifts to give, how to master your social and email promotions, and even how to turn your campaign success into long-term sales.

Free
Organic Hydroponic Advocacy

Organic Hydroponic Advocacy – Mini Course

In this course, we'll discuss the organic industry and markets, and the debate of hydroponics organics. We'll look at the answers that policy makers have created to the containerized organic agriculture question and how that affects real farmers.

Free
Upstart Farmers Green Wall Course

Green Walls for Restaurants – Mini Course

In this mini course, guest lecturer Teryl Chapel of City Planet Farms, gives insight into how to contract green walls for restaurants.

Upstart University

Upstart University