training

Alderlea Farm is Demeter certified and operates a CSA for over 130 families. We have mixed livestock and approx. 5 acres in vegetables.  We take a few apprentices who want to learn about Biodynamics, CSA, and vegetable production from Mar-November. Email johnkaty@shaw.ca or go to alderleafarm.com

This eight month, part time (21 hours/week) apprenticeship offers instruction and daily work experience in small-scale organic farming. In a balanced, hands-on learning approach, participants work alongside staff in the greenhouse, gardens, fields, and orchards, as well as attend talks and workshops, demonstrations, and field trips. The program is designed as an entry point for aspiring growers, educators and agricultural professionals.

SOIL  is non-profit organization that acts as a liaison between farmers those seeking to learn through an on-farm apprenticeship. The program is called the Sustainable Farming Apprenticeship Program. It includes a resource book for Farmers and Apprentices, which can be downloaded free here: http://www.soilapprenticeships.org/files/SOIL_Manual_Compressed.pdf For more information , see http://www.soilapprenticeships.org

Willing Workers on Organic Farms offers the opportunity to visit and work on over 600 farms. The experience and training opportunity varies widely from farm to farm.see www.wwoof.ca for more information

The Viticulture program provides individuals with the skills and knowledge to manage a vineyard or seek employment in viticulture. Course work will emphasize the scientific principles underlying grape growing for the purpose of wine production, the various influences on grape quality, terminology, vineyard management including human resource and financial management, vineyard equipment operation and maintenance, and safety. see www.okanagan.bc.ca for more information

The Kootenay Permaculture Design Course is regarded as an introductory step to learning about permacultural systems. Design courses are available around the world, but this is the only one offered in BC.for more information see http://www3.telus.net/permaculture/Schedule2009.html or email spiralfarm@yahoo.com

The Intervale Center manages 354 acres of farmland, nursery, compost production, trails, and wildlife corridors along the Winooski River in Burlington, Vermont. Founded in 1990, the Farms Program leases land, equipment, greenhouses, irrigation and storage facilities to small independent farms that agree to farm organically. Currently thirteen farms operate on 120 acres with over 60 full time and seasonal workers. Several of the farms are recent start-ups in an incubator status.

Horticulture Education BC is primarliy focused on meeting the needs of the ornamental horticulture industry in BC. However, they have recently sought to include organic farming as a trade. Once they have approval a program will be developed. This will likely result in additional programing in the provinces horticulture programs. A listing of the horticulture schools can be found on their website here:   www.horteducationbc.com/2schools.htmFor more information, email info@horteducationbc.com

The school or horticulture at Kwantlen College has the traditional programs in turf management and floral production techniques but also has an institutute for sustainable horticulture that is seekeing to transform the industry. The rpgrams themselves include some sustainable content but it is not their focus preferring IPM.for more information, email horticulture@kwantlen.ca or see http://www.kwantlen.ca/hort.html

Farmstart has a number of workshop opportunities, plus the New Farms Incubator ProgramParticipants accepted into the program are involved in a tiered system of support that begins with Start-Up Farms followed by Enterprise Farms and Mentor Farms. Land is provided at one of the two incubator farms.For more information on workshops or the Incubator Program, see their website at http://www.farmstart.ca