Need dedicated time to work on your farm financial records—or a place to bring record-keeping questions? Join UNH Extension’s Farm Business Management Open Office Hours. On select Thursdays in January and February, Rockingham County Field Specialist Jesse Wright invites farmers to drop in for independent work time, optional troubleshooting, and practical support—whether you use software like QuickBooks, spreadsheets, paper records, or a mix.
Choose Your Own Adventure
Independent Work Time: Come claim a spot in the large conference room and use it as a quiet(ish) workspace to work on your books alongside other growers. Sometimes the hardest part of record keeping is making time to do it—this is a place to sit down, focus, and make progress, with experts in the room if you get stuck.
Drop-in Q&A: Bring specific questions and get help troubleshooting. UNH Extension staff will be available during the session to answer questions, help you prioritize next steps, and point you toward practical workflows that fit your farm.
All farm types and locations, experience levels, record-keeping systems, and questions are welcome. Drop in for part of the session or stay for the afternoon. No RSVP needed.
Common questions we can help with
QuickBooks basics: chart of accounts, reports, bank feeds, rules, categorizing, matching deposits
Spreadsheet or paper-based systems: simple template development or troubleshooting, expense/revenue categorization, creating realistic routines
Entering and organizing income/expenses: cash sales, farmers markets, CSA payments, invoices, and payment platforms like Square/Stripe/PayPal
“What should I track?” and “How can I organize this so it’s useful?”
Understanding reports for decision-making: Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, sales summaries
What we can’t cover in office hours
These office hours focus on record-keeping systems and workflows. We can’t provide professional tax, legal, or financial advice. For the topics below, you’ll want to connect with a qualified professional (CPA/tax preparer, attorney, insurance agent, or financial advisor):
Filing federal or state tax returns
Tax strategy or planning (how to reduce taxes, what to deduct, entity/tax election decisions, estimated taxes, depreciation strategy)
Payroll and HR compliance (payroll taxes, employee vs. contractor determinations, labor law compliance)
Insurance coverage recommendations, claims guidance, or policy interpretation
Major historical corrections that require an accountant (prior-year adjustments, complex journal entries, large clean-up projects)
Audits, disputes, or enforcement issues (IRS/state notices or legal disputes)
If you’re not sure whether your question fits this list, bring it anyway—we can help you identify what your next step should be.
What to bring (if helpful)
Laptop, charger, mouse (and logins for any tools you use)
Receipts, invoices, statements, and/or data you want to work through
Any bookkeeping files/spreadsheets you currently use—or want to start using
Cost: Free
When: Thursdays 1/8, 1/15, 1/22 and 2/5, 2/12, 2/26, from 12-4:30pm
Can’t make it in person but want to troubleshoot your farm’s recordkeeping? Make an appointment with Jesse via email at jesse.wright@unh.edu.
For persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations, please contact Jesse Wright, 603-336-3874, prior to the event. Given ample time, we will make any reasonable effort to make accommodations.
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