Become an apprentice - Pasa Sustainable Agriculture

Train to become a farm manager or start your own farm

If you’re interested in farming as a career, a registered apprenticeship program will provide you with a guided path to help you learn the ins and outs of managing a vegetable operation. We’ll help connect you with a qualified mentor farmer who will work to comprehensively train you in the art and science of vegetable production and farm business management, while you work to support the host farmer’s labor needs as you train. You’ll graduate from your apprenticeship with the skills necessary to pursue becoming a farm manager or to start your own farm.

ON-THE-JOB TRAINING

You’ll complete 2,784 hours of on-the-job training alongside a host farmer over the course of 18 months on a working farm with a proven track record. Pasa staff will regularly meet with you to ensure you’re on track to successfully complete the apprenticeship program, and to provide you with additional support as needed.

Through your training, you’ll gain experience in these 15 core competency areas for vegetable farming:

Business administration
Personnel management
Soil fertility
Tillage & field preparation
Propagation
Planting
Field crop production
Irrigation

Weed control
Pest & disease control
Harvesting
Post-harvest handling
Product distribution
Marketing
Equipment & machinery maintenance

RELATED TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION

You’ll complete 216 hours of related technical instruction (RTI) on topics best learned off farm or that require more advanced training. Your RTI may include attending workshops, field days, conferences, farm tours, formal classes, and farmer networking opportunities. Areas of RTI include:

Farm business planning & financial management
Tractor safety & maintenance
Small engine repair
Integrated pest management

PROGRESSIVE WAGE

Your apprenticeship is paid. Plus, you’ll receive a scheduled raise every six months, with demonstrated progress on your training objectives.

BASIC EXPECTATIONS

Farming is hard work. You should expect that your experience will be physically and intellectually challenging. You should anticipate that you will:

Primarily work outside in most kinds of weather
Often conduct repetitive, physical activities
Collaboratively work as part of a small team
Learn a great deal about farming and yourself—you’ll discover your strengths and weaknesses while learning what it takes to manage a sustainable vegetable farm

Qualifications

To become an apprentice, you must:

Be at least 18 years old
Be a high school graduate, or have a GED or equivalent
Have a valid, government issued photo ID
Be physically able to perform farm work with reasonable accommodations
Demonstrate a sincere interest in farming as a career by having prior farming experience equivalent to at least one season.

Eligible prior farming experience may include, but is not limited to:

Completion of Diversified Vegetable Pre-Apprenticeship
Full-time or part-time farm employment
Farming internship or apprenticeship
Participating in a farm training or farm incubator program
Significant time spent volunteering with a farm
Community or technical college training in a related field
A two- or four-year degree in a relevant field of study
Significant self-study in sustainable agriculture or farm-scale food production