Field Crops |
Farm Animals |
Forestry |
Practical Skills |
Staff |
Homesteading |
Marketing |
Evaluation |
Beyond The Farm |
Adult students come to The Farm School for a year - from October through the following September - to learn to farm. Throughout the year, every day and every way, students farm. Growing food for a 175 member CSA, a vibrant Farmers' Market and a 50 member meat CSA and managing 150 acres of productive forest land is the core of life and learning on the farm. Here students learn to farm by farming.
Various fields of study - or courses - are woven together in the pattern of the ongoing farm work to offer the most complete and practical farm training imaginable. With the exception of the optional Winter Farm Trip to Tuscany, all student farmers participate in every course listed, with each student farmer's ongoing skill acquisition monitored and discussed with in seasonal evaluations. The courses take place during the season(s) indicated, and some courses may be replaced or removed year-to-year. In all the courses offered, students can expect introductory class work and/or discussions leading to extensive on-farm learning opportunities working the land.
The Farm School is currently accepting applications for 2012 - 2013.
Student Farmer Tuition
In contrast to informal apprenticeships on individual farms, The Farm School offers a curriculum-based agricultural educational program that has been established for the specific benefit of the participants. Funding for the program is provided by tuition, which is kept relatively low with the addition of equal parts from fund raising and the sale of farm products grown by the students and staff. We are all investing in your future as a farmer!
Full Program, October 4, 2012 - September 13, 2013: $15,000, includes full instructional program, off-farm workshops and seminars and some conference fees as well as full room and board.
Optional Three-Week Tuscan Farm Immersion, February 2013: $1,500, includes all transportation, room, board and educational expenses.
College Credit is possible with partnering institutions; please inquire if interested. Limited financial aid is available. If this is a necessity for you, please be sure to specify your specific interest on your application.
Participants are responsible for their own personal health insurance.
Application and Selection Process
- Applicants must be college age or older.
- In building our community each year we will be looking for a diverse group of people who are eager to live and work with others in order to learn how to farm. Maturity, an ability to encompass other points of view, and a sense of humor are critical.
- It is important that applicants understand the structure and aims of the program before they apply. We welcome the opportunity to answer questions and/or schedule a visit via email or phone.
- Once you've determined that you think The Farm School is for you, please complete the application below and return it to us via email or regular post as soon as possible. Once you've applied, we will encourage you to arrange a if you haven't done so already.
Farm Visit
Visiting the farm and seeing the program in action is an important part of the application process. A typical visit includes a one-hour tour of the farm/discussion of the program, an hour of farm work alongside students and staff, lunch with everyone and a brief interview. We ask that all prospective students submit an application (available below) at least one week before visiting and contact us ahead of time to confirm a visit. Here is a list of upcoming visiting days:
Wednesday, October 26
Wednesday, November 9
Thursday, November 17
Monday, December 5
Thursday, January 12
If you are unable to visit on one of our scheduled visiting days, please email Patrick, patrick@farmschool.org, to arrange a separate visit.
Apply Now!
Download the application form as a word document and email it to patrick@farmschool.org, with the subject line ‘Learn to Farm Application’.
Or if easier for you, download and print the application form in pdf format and mail the completed application to:
The Farm School - Learn to Farm Program
488 Moore Hill Road
Athol, MA 01331
Contact Us
Questions? Like to visit? We'd love to hear from you: please get in touch!
Director Patrick Connors, patrick@farmschool.org, 978.249.9944