Other Training Opportunities for Beginning and Experienced Farmers

Contact jimsluyter@mlui.org with your ideas for more programs to list here.

Classroom Training

Michigan State University Student Organic Farm: The certificate program consists of practical training and management of a 10-acre organic farm and course work in organic farming and year-round crop production. In addition, students are required to complete an off-site internship or apprenticeship on a working farm or urban garden. http://www.msuorganicfarm.com/

Tufts University New Entry Sustainable Agriculture Project: Training Programs include business planning, field workshops, and much more. You would be considered as a candidate for New Entry programs if:

You are interested in beginning farming on a small scale and need technical assistance to develop a business and marketing plan.
You want to familiarize yourself with farming conditions in the Northeastern US (crop production, land access, marketing opportunities, financial management, credit opportunities, organic certification, risk management strategies).

This program is particularly, though not exclusively, aimed at underserved populations. http://nesfp.nutrition.tufts.edu/training/index.html

The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems: The University of California Santa Cruz offers practical as well as academic training in the techniques of agroecology and organic farming and gardening. The Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture is the oldest of the Center's programs, offering hands-on training at the UCSC Farm and Alan Chadwick Garden. http://casfs.ucsc.edu/training/index.html

Online Training

The Rodale Institute's Organic Transition Course is a 15-hour online program designed to help you understand the National Organic Standards and use them as your framework for making the transition to organic production.

http://www.tritrainingcenter.org/course/