Zumwalt Acres Educational Programming: Apprenticeship, events and mentorship for a diversity of young emerging farmers

Commodities

Practices

Apprentices will engage in a
hands-on, live-in learning experience on a regenerative farm
committed to equity, justice, and environmentally-conscious
growing. Experienced farmers and guest speakers will mentor
apprentices in horticulture, agroforestry, and mushroom
cultivation. ZA educators will facilitate on-farm and
in-classroom workshops with the local Future Farmer of America
(FFA) chapter. As ZA apprentices gain confidence in their own
understanding of sustainable agriculture, they will build mentor
relationships with FFA high school students, inspiring local
youth to continue on the path of sustainable farming. Lastly, ZA
hosts family-oriented educational events on the farm to introduce
young children to food justice.

1. Teach skills in horticulture,
   agroforestry, mushroom cultivation, beekeeping and conventional
   to regenerative land transition to 20-25 young people through
   on-site educational programming and field trips to regenerative
   farms.
2. Provide mentorship and 2
   workshops for 30 FFA students to enrich their curriculum with
   sustainable agriculture content.
3. Engage young people in applied
   agricultural research in collaboration with the University of
   Illinois and Yale University.
4. Host 1 field day and 3
   community events, including 1 food justice event for local
   families with children.
5. Create 5 educational video
   clips and 1 apprentice-produced written material to be shared
   at events and distributed to young adults.