Thank you for your interest in the Take Root beginning farmer training program! To provide trainees with appropriate pairings, Angelic Organics Learning Center will collect farm profiles from 'trainer farms' to create a diverse pool of potential host farms, of which a minimum of 50% will be run by women, people of color, immigrants, and veterans. If you're looking for the Take Root trainee application or would just like to see the questions we're asking trainee applicants the questions can be found here: https://forms.gle/B6zASnt2KyXShbta9 

Below is detailed information about the program, please make sure to read through everything carefully to ensure you’re up for the trainer farm task.

We have put together an application to determine the best candidates, referred to as 'trainees', to participate in the Take Root program. After acceptance, we will schedule an in-person meeting with each trainee to create their individualized educational plans. Based on their needs, we will work with potential trainer farms to find the best match. The individualized educational plans will be shared with the trainer farm that hires the trainee. The trainee is responsible for applying to their best-matched farms for employment and going through their farm hiring processes.

You as the potential hiring farm will have the final say if you would like them to work on your farm or not. Trainer farms will determine their trainee's hourly rate of pay, a wage which will be similar to that of other farm employees and should be at least minimum wage. The only non-negotiable form of compensation is that a trainer farm must give the trainee 6 paid days off to attend Field Days (CRAFT, MOSES, etc.) and if need, be a second educational opportunity such as a workshop, conference, etc.. We are going to try and schedule the additional education opportunity in the spring or fall as to not disrupt the growing season training.

The additional training/mentoring will be agreed upon in advance. We want individual trainer farms to have flexibility in choosing additional training that will suit their personality and farm. Examples of different options include:
•  A monthly field/farm walk -  allows the trainee to ask questions and engage in discussion with the trainer farmer
•  Weekly check-in meetings to answer trainee questions
•  Weekly or monthly projects and/or homework assignments and then reviewing together

Breakdown of trainer farm compensation:
• Trainer time: $1,000.00
• Offset for 6 PTO days: $600.00

After reading all of this, if you’re still interested in becoming a trainer farm, the next step for you is to complete a farm profile for the trainer list, which is this form!

Please email us at farmertraining@learngrowconnect.org with any questions.