A tiller and a handful of tools can only take a farmer so far. For beginning producers who want to grow beyond a quarter-acre market garden, learning to operate a tractor is often the difference between staying small and building a sustainable business.

Kentucky State University launched its first Tractor School in August at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm to meet that need. The three-day training gave beginning farmers hands-on experience in tractor operation, maintenance, and mechanized production practices essential for scaling up. It is the newest addition to Farming for Cash, a USDA-funded initiative that has supported producers across the Commonwealth since 2012.

“Many new farmers come from non-farming backgrounds and start small,” said Dr. Siddhartha Dasgupta, professor and associate research director in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources. “As they grow, they need to mechanize to compete in wholesale markets. Tractor School gave them the confidence and knowledge to take that critical next step.”

During the training, farmers learned how to safely operate tractors, manage gears and hydraulics, engage the power-take-off, and use the three-point hitch. They practiced routine maintenance such as oil changes and fluid checks, then applied their skills in the field. Using older-model Ford tractors with manual transmissions—affordable and widely available—they plowed soil, shaped raised beds, laid and lifted plastic mulch, installed irrigation, cultivated rows, and sidedressed fertilizer.

Recognizing that some growers prefer smaller equipment, the University also provided instruction on Italian-made two-wheel walk-behind tractors. These compact machines can handle a wide range of tasks, from bed formation and seeding to mulching and cultivation, and even specialty operations such as planting and harvesting potatoes and onions.

The inaugural Tractor School included a presentation on small-scale grain and oilseed production from Kentucky State agronomist Dr. Anuj Chiluwal. He noted the rising demand for specialty organic grains among bakeries and feed mills. Organizers said future trainings could include demonstrations with small-scale harvesting equipment such as combines, reapers, and threshers to meet this emerging interest.

Participants in the first session included farmers from Louisville, African immigrant farmers in Fayette County, and a farmer from Nepal. Evaluations showed strong satisfaction with the training, with many attendees asking for more time beyond the three scheduled days.

“Kentucky State is committed to supporting beginning farmers with the tools and training they need to succeed,” said Dr. Marcus Bernard, dean of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources and director of the Land Grant Program. 

“Our work is meant to be impactful, improving lives and strengthening the health of our communities," he added. "Tractor School is another way the University is helping producers grow their businesses, support their families, and contribute to a stronger Kentucky.”

Organizers plan to expand Tractor School into a five-day program in 2026, opening the opportunity to more beginning farmers from across the state and beyond.

This project, Farming for Cash: A Training Program Leading to Farm Ownership, was funded in 2024 by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (Grant No. 2024-49400-43605). Dasgupta serves as project director. Farming for Cash has been supported at Kentucky State University through USDA funding since 2012.