Interested in working with an apprentice
on your farm?
We are looking for organic and sustainably-run farms to work with
paid and volunteer apprentices.
The host farm will:
-
Pay the apprentice your regular farm labor wages for a minimum of
20 hours per
week during the growing season (paid apprentices), or supervise volunteer
apprentices for a minimum of 4 hours per week. The apprentice will do the work any field worker
would do, planting, harvesting, etc.
-
Provide one-on-one training in farm management. For example, the apprentice
will be involved in making the production plan for the year. This allows for
thinking and methods to be shared. The host farm will be paid by the
program for these training hours.
-
Work with the Growing Growers Program to develop the Apprenticeship
Training Program.
We are especially interested in working with farmers who anticipate retiring
within the next 5-10 years and would be open to developing a plan for
transitioning your farming business to a new pair of hands.
Information on Becoming a Host Farmer
- pdf file 30 KB
Applying to be a host farm
A written application will be needed from the interested farm and
can be printed or downloaded from the links below. You can also contact the Program at
growers@ksu.edu
to talk with program staff about what it would mean for you to host
an apprentice and address any specific question you may have.
Host Farm Application
The written application will initiate the
process; a farm visit will be scheduled for program staff to meet with the
interested farmer. The Advisory Board of the program
will make final decisions regarding host farms and apprentices.
Being a host farmer can be a very rewarding
experience. However, it is not something to be entered into lightly. In
order increase your chances for a successful host-farmer/apprentice
relationship, we encourage you to read the following advice on
interviewing and hiring an apprentice
(pdf file 21 KB).
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