← Back to news feedInnovative New Farm School Prepares Students to Feed People and our Planet
enroll in farm school for august 2015!
Posted: July 22 2015
Innovative New Farm School Prepares Students to Feed People and our Planet
A new farm school grows up in Sebastopol, CA, preparing a new generation of farmers to grow food in the face of changing climate, mounting challenges for family farmers, and a growing public desire for more sustainable ways to feed our world.
WHAT: This eight-week intensive program will train new and aspiring farmers from across the country in the arts of regenerative agriculture, as well as the business skills needed to turn agrarian passions into viable careers. Beyond a deep ecological approach, what distinguishes this program is its immersion and integration into the real world of the local food system and business of farming. Starting August 15, students will visit a variety of farms all across Sonoma and Marin counties, attending workshops by a number of instructors on such topics as crop planning, drought-savvy water systems, land access and navigating the regional food industry. After those first two months, students will return home, be paired with a professional farming mentor in their own communities relevant to their own aspirations, and confidently apply that new education under the vital guidance of an experienced farmer and the support of a wider community dedicated to a more resilient way to feed the world while growing our farmers.
WHY: The rise of industrial agriculture is jeopardizing the health of our soils, our ecosystems, and our communities, urban and rural both. A new generation of farmers will need to learn methods of growing food that regenerates, rather than denigrates the natural resources on which we depend. And in a time when that same industrial model has family farmers struggling to get by, we also need to assure that this new generation can grow sustainable businesses too.
WHO: A program of The Permaculture Skills Center in collaboration with various guest instructors and partner organization such as Paul Kaiser of Singing Frogs Farm, renowned permaculturalist Penny Livingston, CalCAN, Santa Rosa Junior College, The Farmers Guild and more.
WHEN: Intensive program runs from August 16 to October 14, 2015, with mentorships arranged over the following six months
WHERE: Eight week intensive takes place at the Permaculture Skills Center, 2185 Hwy 116 South, Sebastopol, CA. Mentorships arranged in student’s own community, nationwide.
CONTACT: Ryan Johnston, Program Director 707-824-0836 / [email protected]
The Permaculture Skills Center is a 5-acre demonstration site and educational institution dedicated to sharing regenerative land development and management practices. We are located in the Laguna de Santa Rosa watershed just south of Sebastopol, in Sonoma County, California. The site is also the home of our partner organization, Permaculture Artisans.
Sebastopol, CA, USA