Project Overview
Information Products
Commodities
Practices
- Education and Training: mentoring, youth education
- Farm Business Management: apprentice/intern training, labor/employment
- Sustainable Communities: employment opportunities
Abstract:
Local Harvest CSA in partnership with Children of Promise Mentorship Program (COPMP) expanded and refined a fledgling farmer apprenticeship program that hires and trains young people. The Future Farmer Apprentice Program provided 10 youth apprentices with hands-on training in regenerative farming practices on a working vegetable and livestock farm, introduced them to farmers allowing them to envision farming as a viable career path, and provided individualized mentoring and education in employment skills and regenerative agriculture principles.
Our Educational Approach:
The educational approach was hands-on, small group learning grounded in farmwork. The curriculum is based on popular education.
Conclusion and Adoption
The conclusion is that doing curriculum about the sustainable agriculture principles along with the employment soft skills is very helpful for a youth program. The more focus that you can put on the sustainable agriculture principles and formalizing your youth program, the more successful your youth employment will be (in terms of retention, engagement, work, etc.). For instance, we have 3-4 youth who will be returning for their fourth summer this year. We will continue using this curriculum going forward.
Project objectives:
- Increase sustainable farming skills of 8-12 high school apprentices through an 8 week on-farm apprentice program which will include skills and safety training, 3 days/week apprenticing on a working farm, 1 day/week employment class, and individualized mentoring.
- Youth apprentices have the opportunity to network with local farmers on 1-2 field trips, and are introduced to sustainable agriculture career opportunities through 2-3 guest speakers to the employment class.
- Produce a short guide including 6 farm skill lesson plans, and 6 food system lesson plans for other farms interested in employing and/or educating young people on their farms.