New Entry works in partnership with commercial farms and organizations coordinating apprenticeships and other on farm learning opportunities across the country to build an active learning network for Ag Apprenticeships.
This network is designed to disseminate educational resources through websites, broad outreach, webinars, a technical assistance referral network, posting to listservs/social media, sharing through the BFRDP clearinghouse and diverse beginning farmer service provider networks.
Our physical library at our offices in Beverly, MA contains books, CD's, DVD's periodicals, pamphlets, and videos in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Khmer.
If you have a resource you would like include here, contact nesfp@tufts.edu.
When delivered in a timely, thoughtful and skillful manner, feedback can be one of the most effective tools for both professional development and trust building between learner and mentor. This short guide offers several constructive approaches for mentors to provide feedback and evaluation to ag apprentices. This short guide, adapted from the Ag Apprentice Toolkit, is intended for existing and aspiring mentor farmers and ag apprentice programs.
Vilicus Farms' registered apprenticeship listing is an example that can be used to advertise your apprenticeship. Vilicus Farms is a first generation, nationally recognized organic, dryland crop farm located in northern Hill County, Montana. Established in 2009, Vilicus Farms grows a diverse array of heirloom and specialty grains, pulse, oilseed and broadleaf crops within a 5+year rotation on approximately 5,000 acres. Vilicus Farms practices advanced land stewardship at a scale that matters.
A sample contract that Vilicus Farms uses and is signed between apprentice and farmer. It outlines apprentice duties, duration of employment, compensation, processes related to probation/termination/disability, and more.
Case Studies, Curriculum, Internship Programs, Program Development
Join us for a conversation with Brian Wheat from Lowcountry Local First (https://lowcountrylocalfirst.org/). Their Good Farming initiative supports sustainable agriculture and is designed to grow and connect the local food system by training new farmers, supporting existing farm businesses and educating consumers. Additionally, they provide consulting services for private companies, municipal government, and anchor institutions to cultivate local farms and fill gaps in economic development activities.
SAEA Webinar January 17th 2018 @ 2pm (eastern time), 11am (pacific time)
Agricultural Apprenticeships: Resources for Best Practices
Agenda:
Apprenticeships on small, sustainability farms are an important strategy for beginning farmer training, and farmers often find it a fulfilling way to meet labor needs on the farm. They are also a space where apprentices and farmers alike are critically engaged in transforming the agrifood system as part of the alternative agrifood movement.
Communication, Hosting and Employment, Internship Programs, Volunteers
Presenters: Abby Sadauckas, farmer and the project manager for the grant; Leslie Forstadt, Human Development Specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
You may have found yourself asking: “Why is it so hard to manage the people on my farm?” or “Why do apprentices take so much time?” or “How can I be a better mentor?” or “What’s the best approach for curriculum design for apprenticeship programs?”
Communication, Curriculum, Hosting and Employment, Program Development, Registered Apprenticeships
Join Laura Paine from Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) to hear about DGA’s work on understanding and working with adult learners in an agricultural setting. DGA is a federally registered apprenticeship program with 150 approved farms across 11 states providing on-farm mentorship. Laura will share materials that DGA has been working on for professional development of ag apprenticeship masters/mentors.
Career Services, Case Studies, Communication, Curriculum, Educational Partnerships, Farm Labor Laws / Legal, Feedback and Assessment, Fundraising, Hosting and Employment, Insurance, Internship Programs, Program Development, Recruitment, Registered Apprenticeships, Volunteers
Webinar recording: This online event launched the Ag Apprenticeship Toolkit and offered a briefing on the power of networks by Andrew Crosson of Rural Support Partners. This event included a tour of the Ag Apprenticeship Toolkit, the capstone resource from Year 1 of the National Ag Apprenticeship Learning Network, and detailed how participation in networks can strengthen local, regional and national food systems work.
