Tuesday, January 8, 2013

APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES

APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES 

Position: Grow A Farmer Apprenticeships http://growafarmer.ca/apprenticeship/ 
Type: apprenticeships; most offer room & board and/or stipend; tuition fee 
Organization: Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network http://acornorganic.org 
Locations: Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island) 
-- applications from across Canada are welcome 

ACORN – the Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network – has now officially launched their first organic farmer training program and is now accepting applications for the 2013 season – and we encourage you to apply now! 

The Grow A Farmer Apprenticeship and Mentorship Program (see http://www.growafarmer.ca) has been developed among a dynamic network of ACORN staff, Maritime organic farmers, government advisors, and resource specialists to create an exciting new initiative that will offer comprehensive education and training for those keen to participate in the future generation of organic agriculture. 

This program is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada – offering formal, curriculum-guided, farm-based apprenticeship experiences for beginners seeking to cultivate their skills and knowledge in organic farming practices. There are 11 farms participating in this program, all ranging widely in style and scale of production, so whether you're interested in organic greenhouse production, livestock, bee-keeping or seed-saving (and more!), there is something for everyone, plus several on-going opportunities to gather and visit other farms and apprentices to unite and strengthen this growing community as a whole. All applications are now online at http://www.growafarmer.ca . 

Please note that we encourage people to apply NOW as we begin to pair all apprentices with their host-farms. The deadline to apply for the apprenticeship program is March 1st, 2013. 

For farmers that are just beginning, or are underway in the early years of their first farming operations, the Grow A Farmer Mentorship Program will pair new farmers with experienced 'Farmer-Mentors' in their region to offer more targeted and individualized guidance in their farming development through regular communications, visits and support. There is no deadline for Mentorship applications though again, applying now is very much encouraged as these partnerships are limited! 

*Please note that the Mentorship program is different than ACORN's Grow A Farmer Apprenticeship Program, as the participating 'Mentees' are expected to have more advanced level of agricultural training and would not participate daily on the Mentor's Farm, unless some occasional work would be proven beneficial for the Mentee's skill development. 

Please share this information among your networks, social media, e-news, and more! Please also link the new website, www.growafarmer.ca, as a key resource-base for those seeking information about comprehensive training in organic agriculture. This website also features our 'Beginner Farmer Blog;' Newsroom; Resource listings and more. 

For all inquiries, please contact Lucia Stephen, Program Coordinator, at 
lucia[@]acornorganic.org