By Ain Chiké
Ain is a Farmer Services Coordinator at Georgia Organics.
Georgia Organics’ Apprenticeship Program, the organization's newest farmer-to-farmer cohort offering, launched in May 2023 thanks to funding from the USDA’s NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.
Nine new and beginning farmers were paired with veteran farmers for a 10-week on-farm intensive designed to give future farm owners and workers the opportunity to learn the basics of farm management related to operations in and out of the field. From mid-May to July 2023, seven farm hosts mentored the selected apprentices in sustainable and organic farming practices.
Georgia Organics’ Farmer Services team paired the Farm Apprentice applicants with Farm Host applicants based on the aligning interests below with the ultimate goal of increasing the number of new, beginning, sustainable, and potentially Certified Organic farmers within the state.
Farm business models (such as educational, urban, community-driven, or production-focused models)
Growing practices (such as Certified Organic, Certified Natural Grown, no-till/direct seeding, or tractor-based farming)
Type of production (such as perennial herbs, diversified vegetables, eggs, or flowers)
Celebrating Farm Host Accomplishments
Farm Hosts and Farm Apprentice applications launched in late 2022, and Farm Hosts were required to meet certain criteria such as being a soil-based operation, in business for at least five years, and a current Georgia Organic Farmer Member. Due to this being the first year for the program, the Farmer Services Team reached out to farmers within the Georgia Organics network who previously participated in the Accelerator Program and the Family Farm Share. Four of our seven farm hosts were selected through this method, while the additional hosts were selected based on their eligibility and ability to meet the needs of the apprentice. For some Farm Hosts, it was their first time having an employee. A secondary benefit of the program was providing monetary support for Farm Hosts looking to see if they needed to ‘size up’ and hire an employee. After the program finished in July of this year, Georgia Organics is happy to report that one farm host hired their first employee, and another farm host started the process of becoming labor-ready, which means building out an employee handbook as well as creating systems to standardize their weekly and daily farm activities.
Learning from the First Year
The 2023 Apprentice Program’s flagship year was not without its challenges. Exit interviews for both Farm Hosts and Farm Apprentices proved insightful. For example, the program ran from mid-May to July, which is the high season for most produce farmers in Georgia. Farm Apprentices voiced feeling disoriented at being thrust into the growing season after summer crops were put in the ground, and many of the Farm Hosts commented that they had to balance the farm’s needs with wanting to give their apprentice(s) proper instruction and time to adapt to their farm’s workload.
“ For some Farm Hosts, it was their first time having an employee. ”
Farm Apprentice Keisha Miller at Farm Host Crystal Organic Farm in Newborn, GA. Photo courtesy of the farm.
“One significant change is the timing of the program...[another] includes creating a weekly learning structure that Farm Hosts and Farm Apprentices agree upon...”
(front, center) Farm Apprentice Ari with the crew at Farm Host Love is Love Farm. Photo Courtesy of Love is Love Cooperative Farm.
Another first-year challenge, as well as an opportunity, arose with Farm Apprentice learning goals. Farm Hosts received written notes outlining their apprentices' goals for participating in the program. However, without predefined support from Georgia Organics, meeting the Apprentices' needs became difficult for Farm Hosts to maintain during the length of the program.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2024 Apprenticeship PROGRAMMING
With feedback via exit interviews from Farm Hosts and Apprentices as well as reflections from the Farmer Services team, troubleshooting and amending sore spots for the 2024 cohort has already begun. One significant change is the timing of the program. For 2024, farm work will begin on April 1 to give apprentices working on produce farms a chance to seed, transplant, and acclimate to their new work environment before the season gets underway.
Another change to the program includes creating a weekly learning structure that Farm Hosts and Farm Apprentices agree upon to facilitate moving the Apprentices toward their learning goals. Thanks to the feedback from the program’s first-year participants, other major and minor changes to the program will also occur in 2024.
On Nov. 27, 2023, applications open for the program. Georgia Organics is seeking nine Farm Apprentices and Farm Hosts in Georgia to form the 2024 cohort. This year, the program will begin on April 1 and end on or around June 7, and we encourage agricultural students, farm laborers, farm managers, and individuals interested in expanding their farm knowledge to apply!
Curious about learning more? Visit our Apprenticeship Program landing page or tap the buttons below.
To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching the handle @GeorgiaOrganics or Georgia Organics.