Apprenticeship Program

Seed Farm Apprenticeships run from February through November. Apprentices must participate in all parts of the program including: the introductory class, 20 hours-per-week of training and collaborative work in The Seed Farm’s market garden, as well as the organic vegetable production course. Apprentices interested in applying to the Stewardship Program must participate in a four-week, follow-up, farm-planning course called “Exploring the Small Farm Dream” to develop their farm and marketing plans. 

February - March

Apprentices participate in the four-week farm planning course, “Exploring the Small Farm Dream” taught by Penn State Extension Educators. This course helps apprentices decide if farming is right for them. The course begins with a self-assessment of goals and resources. The next sessions lead participants through the processes of performing a market assessment, developing a marketing plan, and creating an operational plan for their new farms. A facilitator guides the interactive sessions, which feature panel discussions with: leading local farmers, guest speakers, and government representatives.  Apprentices must follow through with the “homework” to form the farm plan piece of their applications to the Stewardship Program. 

March – October

During the growing season, The Seed Farm’s manager guides apprentices to work collaboratively to plant, cultivate and harvest a two-acre, production and demonstration market garden. Training emphasizes whole-farm planning for soil and plant health, as a foundation for organic management and sustainable food production. Apprentices gain production experience with more than 80 varieties of organically-grown vegetables including: early-season greens, brassicas, root crops, tomatoes, peppers, squash and lesser-known oriental vegetables. The farm manager introduces apprentices to basic production practices ranging from seeding and transplanting to weed control and post-harvest handling. Apprentices market the garden’s produce at the local farmers’ markets.
Apprentices must be able to allocate at least twenty, regularly scheduled, hours-per-week to the program. The time commitment will be spread across the activities listed below. The farm manager will allocate specific amounts of time to each of these activities. All participants must participate in production as well as marketing aspects of farm business training, including:

• Planting, weeding and harvesting the two-acre Market Garden
• Selling products at local farmers markets or making deliveries to other outlets
• Brief, program-related meetings
Certain administrative or organizational meetings are necessary to make the farm run smoothly.  We understand that many apprentices have off-farm jobs that make meetings during normal working hours difficult and we will do our best to schedule accordingly, but apprentices must attend:
• Brief (30-minute), weekly organizational meetings where farm manager allocates tasks
• Monthly farm update meetings with the farm manager, farm stewards, advisors and other apprentices. In addition, to helping the farm run smoothly, these meetings are a chance to formally interact with mentors and more experienced farm stewards.

Supplemental Educational Activities:

In addition to the 20 hours-per-week, hands-on education and training; supplemental educational activities are available. Apprentices must participate in at least one supplemental activity per season. We encourage additional participation, but not required it. (Note: apprentices may count up to 3 hours-per-week of educational activities toward the 20 weekly required hours.)

• Work days on neighboring “mentor farms.” A number of farmers in the area have offered to host work days for program participants. This is your chance to see the inner workings of other working farms and talk with experienced farmers as well as explore non-vegetable farming alternatives such as livestock and fruit. We plan to have 4 work-days throughout the season.
• Pennsylvania State University’s “Organic Vegetable Production” course conducted at the Seed Farm. One day long session will be taught the 2nd Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. -3 p.m., April to August. Morning classroom sessions will include presentations by the Pennsylvania State Extension Educator and from experienced farmers, film presentation of weed control and other techniques, and interactive discussion. In the afternoon we will move to the field where the Lehigh County Agricultural Incubator will serve as a living classroom. Participants will try new techniques and tools appropriate for both the small and large farm. 
• Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) offers a wide range of workshops and field days throughout the growing season.
• The Seed Farm is a participant in the Sustainable Agriculture Internship Training Association (SAITA) offering workshops especially for interns.

October & November

Apprentices interested in applying to be “farm stewards” in phase II of the training program, must participate in the Exploring the Small Farm Dream course and complete a farm plan. Additionally, prospective farm stewards must attend a study session group designed specifically for Seed Farm Apprentices and Stewards on farm planning. The course and study session will help prospective farm stewards design their farm plans that they will use to apply to The Seed Farm’s Stewardship Program. 
The farm plan will be reviewed for production standards (i.e. weed control strategies) and land stewardship requirements (i.e. provision for soil building and erosion control). Only those with acceptable plans will be accepted for years 2 and 3 – The Farm Stewardship Program.