Urban Farm Training Program

Apply to the Youth Farm’s 2014 Urban Farming Apprenticeship!

Join us for an Info Session w/ Farm Manager Molly Culver 
Thursday Dec 12th at 61 Local, 6:30-8:30 pm 61 Bergen St. Brooklyn, 11201

                                 

Whether you are a teacher looking to increase your gardening skills or an urbanite looking to enter the field of agriculture and food justice, this training will bring your skills to the next level and connect you to further opportunities.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:  

Our program offers adults the chance to experience what it takes to farm and explore a career in organic agriculture through hands-on training on a 1 acre diversified farm. As an apprentice at the Youth Farm you will gain many valuable growing skills necessary for cultivating a wide variety of vegetables and flowers appropriate to our region. Through this intensive 20-hr per week commitment, you will gain the invaluable experience of nurturing crops and soil day to day and gain a sense for the physical and mental energy required to run a small farming operation that produces high quality vegetables, beautiful flowers, and a rich and harmonious community space. As in a rural farm apprenticeship, we view time spent doing hands-on farm work as the most important component of becoming skilled in organic agriculture. In order to farm, you have to farm! 

WHO ARE THE INSTRUCTORS?

The program is taught by Co-Farm Managers Molly Culver and Liz Dowd. Molly is a Farm School NYC founding member and instructor and holds a Certificate in Ecological Horticulture from the University of Santa Cruz’s Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. Liz has studied Biodynamic farming at the Pfeiffer Center and Urban Permaculture with Claudia Joseph. This will be Liz's third season on the Youth Farm.

HOURS & TIME COMMITMENT  

The Urban Farming Apprenticeship is a serious commitment: You will train with us for 30 weeks, 20 hours per week, from late April through mid November. The program meets for three days a week. Each apprentice will also commit to irrigating the farm two weekends out of the season.

COST
Our mission on the farm is to support our community by training you to be self-sufficient in growing healthy and rich local produce and flowers.  Our program breaks down to a $30/week commitment so that you can learn alongside experienced farmers, while also living an affordable and sustainable life yourself. We encourage our apprentices to harvest plenty of fresh veggies and flowers to nourish you throughout the season!

TRAINING PROGRAM COMPONENTS:

• Hands-on farm work on a 1 acre diversified farm
• Formal workshops in Botany, Soil Science, Crop Planning, Record Keeping, and more...
• Rotations in Propagation, Irrigation, Composting, Flower Production, CSA/Farmers Market management and Farm Management
• Field trips to other urban farms
• Weekly Farm Walks to develop observational skills
• Working with youth

What can you do with your Certificate?

Our past apprentices have gone on to do great things, such as:

•   Manage the 1 acre Youth Farm at the Chicago Botanical Garden

•   Co-Manage 2-acre Cut Flower operations

•   Accept jobs as gardening coordinators at NYC schools

•   Manage NYC Greenmarkets

•   Manage their own urban agriculture and landscaping businesses
•   Work in floral design, and more...

      Where are our past apprentices now?

PAST PARTICIPANTS SAY:

"This training provided me with an opportunity to learn side by side with experienced farmers."

"There was so much opportunity for hands on work and the farmers were all very patient, kind and knowledgeable about the work."

“I thought the schedule was a really perfect balance of feeling like you were consistently on the farm, while also being able to work on the side to support myself.”

Applications coming soon: applications will be due February 1st, 2014!
 email molly@bkfarmyards.com for more information