Project Overview
As a way to further foster collaboration between farmer training entities across Idaho and Wyoming, and to fill in gaps for more robust hands-on vegetable farmer training, Sweet Hollow Farm offered a full season apprenticeship pilot program for the 2023 spring season on their farm in Victor, Idaho. The apprenticeship program began in April with 4 apprentices and included 12 hours per week of hands-on, on-farm education as apprentices experienced every aspect of a working diversified vegetable operation from season start to finish, including, but not limited to, crop planning, season extension, planting, irrigation, hoop house building, pest management, harvesting, wash/pack, marketing, distribution and more. By partnering with the farmer incubation program at Central Wyoming College and the Cultivating Success program by Idaho Extension, we began to develop a cross-referral system to provide beginning farmers with the most robust training program possible. Currently, Cultivating Success offers several online resources, webinars and courses which will be referred to Sweet Hollow apprentices for additional learning, and Central Wyoming College offers incubation plots where apprentices can start their own operations once they have completed the Sweet Hollow Farm apprenticeship program. Ultimately, through providing a season-long, hands-on immersive training experience, Sweet Hollow Farm apprenticeship program strengthened delivery
of education, mentoring, and technical assistance for beginning farmers that will soon be establishing their own farm enterprises.
Number of Participants: 4
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