Two years before the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was researching a book idea about rewilding—a subculture of the better-known land conservation movement where people pursue a preindustrial or even preagricultural, hunter-gatherer existence. My interviews included survivalists living on a tropical island, primitive skills enthusiasts creating forest schools and subsistence homesteaders. 

I’ve lived in cities my entire adult life, so it doesn’t take a psychologist to unpack my personal attraction to the idea of backpedaling from the increasing overwhelm of life in the twenty-first century: the incessant infiltration of technology and media; social isolation and loneliness; disconnection from nature, especially its troubling impact on our kids; escalating global conflict; and accelerating natural disasters validating our fears that the endgame of climate change is not only inevitable but happening now. 

Still, as time went on, I became a little weary of the doomsday pre-occupation. More importantly, I was unsure of its helpfulness. Everyone can feel the tumult of these times, but very few of us, myself included, have the wherewithal or the chutzpah to toss aside everything they’ve ever known and hunt and forage from a cabin in the woods. 

Some of the solutions being touted in the world of rewilding were inspiring, but I wished for a doable purpose in the here and now; preferably one where I would feel more alive and useful than I did rhapsodizing in front of a computer.

I also had a concurrent realization: In my longing to reclaim the ways of the past, it was traditional food culture that most lit my fire. And so, six months into COVID lockdown in Los Angeles, my husband and I decided, “enough with the daydreaming,” and sold everything we owned and moved with our two young daughters to Central Oregon, where I serendipitously stumbled into the area’s local food movement and subsequently enrolled in a groundbreaking farmer training program. The immersive internship was centered around regenerative agriculture—a new (but actually ancestral) and holistic approach to growing food that restores soil and biodiversity and sequesters carbon in the ground.

I’ve covered the ills of our industrialized food system for more than a decade, so regenerative farming was a field I was closely following. High-profile books and documentaries were pointing to its promise while sounding the alarm on the finiteness of intensive agriculture—warning of vanishing groundwater and the world’s dwindling supply of usable topsoil. Yet, until I encountered the training program in Oregon, it never occurred to me to actually take matters into my own hands and consider small, sustainable farming as a viable career path.

Author Jennifer Grayson at her first farmer training program.

A week into my first farm job, I realized it was the most joyful and fulfilling work I had ever experienced. After two months of being outside all day, nearly every day, I felt the best—both physically and mentally—that I ever had in my life. But the real transformation occurred as I began to meet and learn about the new and driven farmers, graziers and food activists emerging all over the country. They hadn’t grown up in farming families; they came from backgrounds vastly underrepresented in agriculture; and many of them were far younger than I was, not to mention decades younger than the average American farmer. I was awestruck by their intention and ingenuity. They hadn’t turned to this way of life as some back-to-the-land fantasy. They had chosen sustainable agriculture as a tactile way to affect environmental activism and food justice; for cultural reclamation; to reconnect to nature, food and community; to live aligned with their values; to do “something that means something.”

And during the environmental and societal reckoning of the pandemic—not to mention the collapse of the industrial food supply chain—the work of these regenerative farmers became more meaningful than ever before. They filled the void amid empty supermarket shelves and miles-long food lines and fed millions of Americans not just food but the most delicious food many of us had ever tasted. They witnessed hundreds of thousands of people needlessly dying of COVID due to diet-related disparities and pushed ahead for funding and food sovereignty. So I started to wonder: How could we scale a “greatest generation” of sustainable small farmers?

What would this country look like transformed by a vast network of resilient local food systems that restore the environment and ensure healthy, fresh food is accessible to all?

Archer Meier and Marlo Stein of Round Table Farm, a cheese and flower farm in Hardwick, Massachusetts. Photography via author.

These two questions launched me on the journey to write this book. But it was only later that I learned of their urgency. In the coming decade, 400 million acres of American farmland—nearly half of all farmland in the United States—will become available as the older generation of American farmers retires or dies. Meanwhile, the groundswell of new growers eager to steward that land are up against seemingly every obstacle: access to affordable land, access to capital, a livable income and the billionaires and corporations now grabbing farmland at a staggering pace. 

And yet, there’s hope: Big Ag may be the norm in the United States, but small growers globally produce around a third of the world’s food on farms of five acres or less.

Mapping research shows up to 90 percent of Americans could be fed entirely with food raised within 100 miles of where they live. Project Regeneration highlights regenerative agriculture and other nature-based farming methods as critical strategies in the plan to reverse global warming. And the human power exists: The number of new, beginning and young farmers has been increasing for the past 10 years, a trend unparalleled in the last century. 

Alison Pierce of Common Joy, a sustainable luffa farm run with husband Brian Wheat in Charleston, South Carolina. Photography via author.

I came to farming as an outsider, and that’s exactly the point. Two hundred years ago, nearly all of us lived and worked on the land that fed us (although not all of our own free will). Even a hundred years ago, one-third of us did. Today, that number stands at one percent. Yet, right now, so many of us are yearning for something we can’t name, an intangible we don’t even realize has been lost. It’s our connection to our food, that most fundamental of human needs, and it is that which ties us to everything else.

These are the stories of a new, diverse generation of agrarians unfolding an alternate vision of the future, if only more of us would join the call.

The post How Can We Mobilize New Farmers? appeared first on Modern Farmer.

Virginia Ortiz with the GoFarm team on their farm in Colorado. Photo courtesy GoFarm

“Our vision is a strong, resilient, environmentally sustainable and equitable local food system,” says Virginia Ortiz, GoFarms executive director.

Ortiz sees GoFarm’s role as a hub that takes care of the logistics of supporting small farms and feeding the community. 

Building community partnerships is a crucial element, and GoFarm works with other food access organizations such as Hunger Free Golden and JeffCo Food Policy Council to reach more people and create a broader base of resources.

Founded in 2014, GoFarm started with its local food share program (essentially a CSA curated from multiple farms). More than a decade later, it has become an organization that trains and develops beginning farmers and creatively tackles the problem of how to get affordable, fresh food to the community. As a nonprofit, it is able to fundraise for grants and donations to support its programming and supplement that with revenue generated through produce sales. 

GoFarm’s incubator farmer program gives beginning farmers access to a quarter acre of land for the two-year duration of the program. The farmers receive all the training they need to plan, plant and manage a farm—regardless of their background. 

“The average age of current farmers is 55 to 59, and we know that, over the next 10 years, half of current farmers are going to retire, which means that we need to develop a new base,” says Ortiz. But she points out that there is a “tremendous need” for agricultural education.

Incubator farmers in an irrigation workshop. Photo courtesy of Lindsey Beatrice 

“Part of our goal is to change the paradigm of farm ownership. Currently, in Colorado, there are approximately 34,000 farms and only one percent are owned by people of color. Yet, 95 to 98 percent of farm workers are people of color, primarily Latinos,” says Ortiz, who shares that she comes from a long line of farmers and farm workers. She says she is proud that, in the farmer development program, 50 percent of participants are people of color, 65 percent are women and 40 percent self-identify as LGBTQ+.

Moses Smith of Full Fillment Farms was an engineer who had gardened before taking GoFarm’s 20-week course and joining the incubator program. “The important thing was the Whole Farm Planning course that really focused on what it takes to actually grow food,” says Smith.

“One of the biggest benefits is that they not only provide us with land access, which is very hard as a starting farmer, but they also give us a market avenue,” says Ann Poteet of Three Owls Farm. As incubator farmers are establishing their businesses and learning how to generate their own markets, they sell produce back to GoFarm. 

Ann Poteet of Three Owls Farm and Moses Smith of Full Fillment Farms.    Photo courtesy of GoFarm

GoFarm’s local food share program feeds anywhere from 500 to 800 members each summer. Members come every week to pick up their share from a few different locations where GoFarm has refrigerated shipping containers to store food after it’s delivered by farmers. Plus, GoFarm takes Chuck out and about in Denver and Jefferson counties every week to ensure they can reach underserved populations that are challenged with food insecurity, disability, transportation and other barriers, such as the communities living in designated food deserts in south Golden. 

“I have an interest in nutritional insecurity,” says Poteet, who was a nurse practitioner before starting her farm. 

“It’s been really inspiring,” says Smith about being able to see his food nourish the community through GoFarm. 

But farmer’s market prices can be high, as producers need to be fairly compensated for their labor and costs. “Customers were clear to us that having access to healthy food was critical to them and affordability was a barrier,” says Ortiz. So, in 2022, GoFarm found the funding it needed to implement a new solution that goes even further to improve accessibility for the 2,600+ households it reaches. 

Customers at its mobile markets can choose from one of three price tiers to shop that day, depending on their needs. For example, bags of mixed greens have three prices listed: $2 (purple), $3 (green) and $4 (orange). And the microgreens are even cheaper, at $1, $2 or $3 for a box. Pasture-raised eggs can be $3, $5 or $7 a carton. 

Flexible pricing sign with Chuck, the mobile market truck. Photo courtesy of Lindsey Beatrice

“You are what you eat,” says Kaylee Clinton, a first-time GoFarm mobile market shopper. “I just feel better about myself when I eat fresher.” As inflation has hit grocery stores, she says that SNAP has helped make food more affordable and she appreciates that GoFarm lets shoppers pick their price point. “I really love it. I think it’s great for everybody.” 

“Typically, I either buy green or orange. I like buying orange when I can. It’s good to have the flexible pricing,” says Ed Gazvoda, who has been shopping at GoFarm for years. “I want to live a good, long, healthy life, so it’s a personal thing, but I just love the food.”

Jess Soulis, director of the Community Food Access program, highlights that accepting SNAP’s DoubleUp Food Bucks—where shoppers essentially get a 50-percent discount—is just one way to make food more affordable. The group also partners with WIC’s Farmers Market Nutrition Program, where participants get a credit to shop. Through its market locations at Littleton Advent Hospital and Juanita Nolasco Senior Residences, the program offers shoppers $10 worth of produce for free. SNAP/DUFB account for 13 percent of its mobile market sales, but all of these incentives combined are closer to two-thirds.

“We’re building this beautiful, vibrant, local food system and we don’t want to replicate the injustices and inequities that are so prevalent in the existing food system,” says Soulis.

The vision continues to grow. The only limitation? “Infrastructure,” says Ortiz. GoFarm is currently seeking out refrigerated warehouse space along the I-70 corridor between Golden and Montbello. 

“That area is important because we need to make it accessible to farmers along the Front Range,” says Ortiz. “With that refrigerated warehouse space, we could easily source from more farmers, distribute more food and serve more communities.”

The post A Vibrant Local Food System Grows in Colorado appeared first on Modern Farmer.

At nine years old, I started a rabbitry. Raising my trio of Dutch rabbits to take to the fair, I fell in love with the breed and raising them. Before long, I expanded to include Polish rabbits, Dorset advantage sheep and Welsh Harlequin and Call ducks. I eventually added horses and hogs to my growing small business, raising animals for sale in my community. I named my business Diamond B Show Stock, a nod to my family farm, Diamond B farms. The family business started in the 1970s and is still running strong today. I’m proud to be the next link in the chain for my family’s agricultural business, and I hope to keep it going for the generations that come after me. And I got here with the help of 4-H. 

Day old twin lambs. Photography via author.

I grew up in a farm family and, as a result, I’m entirely hooked on agriculture. There’s something special about watching a newborn lamb’s first steps, seeing it grow and ultimately feeling the satisfaction after its sale on a humid August county fair day, knowing that I’ve given it a life full of long evening walks, gentle hands, tasty treats and security. Those moments reassure me that agriculture will always be a part of my life; now, as I work through my plethora of 4-H projects, I’m in college studying to be a veterinarian and eventually working to protect and improve the lives of livestock. 

But not every kid has the opportunities I’ve had. Our industry is suffering from an inability to summon enough youth passion to join its ranks. I attended the National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C. this April, where US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack explained it best: The average age of a farmer is close to 60 years old. To protect the future of America’s food, youth must become involved in agriculture, and organizations such as 4-H are the solution. 

Tom Vilsack addresses the crowd at the annual 4-H conference. Photography via USDA/Lance Cheung

More than just agriculture

Established in 1912, 4-H (collectively, head, heart, hands and health) was originally conceived to introduce youth to agricultural work through after-school programs. More than 100 years later, it’s grown to encompass so much more. Each regional 4-H club hosts a variety of programs, with a focus on hands-on learning. You can raise animals, like I do, but you can also learn about all sorts of things, such as photography, public speaking, sewing or technology.

McKenzie Diamond, a recent high school grad from New York, is looking at college. A few years ago, she saw agriculture as just a hobby, not what she thought she could pursue as a career. But that changed last year. 

Along with her other 4-H projects in nutrition, art and community service, she raised goats with her mother. After one of the goats needed to have her leg amputated, Diamond and her family met with vets from Cornell University to discuss their best course of action. It was this meeting where she realized that her hobby could become her career. “My mom grew up in a very agricultural family, and I think that it implanted on me at a young age that [agricultural] lifestyle and goals in life. Truthfully, I don’t think I would be who I am without ag in my life.” Now, Diamond intends to major in either agricultural education or agribusiness. 

Fighting for the future

As lawmakers open their ears to youth voices, 4-H members have been put on the front lines in advocating for farming practices. Wyatt Morrow, a 4-H alumni and college freshman from Ohio, was selected for Citizenship Washington Focus, a nationwide 4-H opportunity recruiting teens to share their thoughts with legislators on Capitol Hill. 

Morrow got to speak to the office of Ohio Senator J.D. Vance in 2023 on behalf of 4-H. Upon his return home and starting his first year at Wilmington College, he was trusted with a position by the college, one of only three freshmen in the group, to again travel to D.C., this time to advocate for the passage of the Farm Bill. Morrow called the lobbying “one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve ever had. It showed me that advocating for issues you and others are passionate about can really make a difference in shaping our country.” 

Through 4-H, he not only was given a life-altering opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with legislators, but he was able to use it to foster growth in the industry. 

4-H delegate Alexandra Harvey asks Tom Vilsack a question at the annual 4-H conference. Photography via USDA/Lance Cheung.

But it can be difficult to get kids involved in agriculture, especially urban kids or people who don’t grow up in farm families. “Kids are involved in so many different activities that demand their time. Oftentimes, coaches and teachers are not allowing them to have the time off from school or extracurricular activities that they need to fully engage in 4-H since it’s not a school-sponsored activity,” says Kathy Bruynis, an Ohio State University Extension 4-H educator. 

Fortunately, one thing 4-H does have going for it is choices. With more than 200 projects available in the state of Ohio alone, such as livestock, gardening, robotics, nutrition, financial management, welding and more, there are topics for nearly every kid. Additionally, keeping with 4-H’s traditional creative spirit, 4-H professionals and volunteers are working hard to come up with new ways to recruit members. Jamie Stacy, an Ohio 4-H advisor and Junior Fair Board director, hosts bowling or swimming parties and always brings snacks. “Offering some type of food is usually a pretty good way to pull kids in when they get free food and fun,” says Stacy. 

Sara Bailey.

Becoming royalty

Fair or 4-H royalty serve as another valuable tool for recruiting new 4-H members. I was chosen as my county’s queen nearly a year ago after completing a lengthy application and interview process. On the first day of our county fair, I was presented with my crown and sash and given the job of representing 4-H not only to others in agriculture but the general public as well. After a week of helping out at shows, sales and other fair events, I was tasked with visiting other local fairs and festivals. When the fair season wrapped up, I made it a priority to involve myself in the community in other ways. I passed out candy at a Trunk-or-Treat, taking time to socialize with each child and talk to them about why 4-H really mattered to me. I read a book at my local library and eagerly answered the questions fired at me from kids and parents alike. I hugged a veteran as he accepted a quilt made by a 4-H-er at my fair’s annual quilts for veterans and first responders event, and I later connected with Wreaths for Veterans to place wreaths at a nearby cemetery at Christmas. One of my favorite experiences was taking a few baby rabbits and a baby goat with a 4-H friend to a nursing home and seeing the reactions of the residents.

Sara Bailey (left) leads a 4-H club.

All of these experiences helped 4-H project a positive image onto the local community. Prior to my visits, many of the people I met didn’t even know what 4-H was, but I left them knowing more and feeling good about it. Keeping 4-H present in the community is essential to its survival.

The post Young People Need to Find Farming. 4-H is the Answer appeared first on Modern Farmer.

There are also huge benefits to supporting new farmers. Aside from bolstering our food supply, new and young farmers tend to bring unique new perspectives to the field, including a dedication to sustainable farming methods. According to the National Young Farmers Coalition’s (NYFC’s) 2022 National Young Farmer Survey, 86 percent of young farmers practice regenerative farming—growing in harmony with nature—while 97 percent use other sustainable practices.

However, for young people interested in a career in agriculture, there can be many roadblocks in their path. The price of land continues to rise, grants and educational opportunities can be hard to come by and there’s a steep learning curve for folks who didn’t grow up in a farming family. 

With these stories, we spoke to young farmers directly about how they see farming as a viable future and what they need to succeed.

What Are the Big Issues for Young Farmers? We Asked Them

By Emily Baron Cadloff

Modern Farmer sat down with the co-founder of Young Agrarians, a farmer-to-farmer resource for young people, to find out what might hamper young folks looking to enter the agriculture industry.

Where to Get Started: A Guide For Young Farmers

By Emily Baron Cadloff

If you’re a young person looking to start a career in farming, check out these organizations.

Meet the Farmer Training Indigenous Youth and Revitalizing a Culture of Food Sovereignty

By Jennifer Cole

An Indigenous-led training hub, Tea Creek, in northern B.C. may be an answer to Canada’s looming farmer shortage.

Young Farmers Dig Into Land

By Claire Duncomb 

These new farmers get by with a little help from their friends—a co-housing community, a food co-op, and lots of trail and error.

Young People Need to Find Farming. 4-H is the Answer.

By Sara Bailey

The average age of farmers in the US is close to 60, and young farmers have trouble finding a way into the field. Programs like 4-H are the best option.

Coming soon….

Five Young Farmers Cultivating Change

From the Modern Farmer Community

We asked our community to share their favorite young farmers and we’ve profiled a few of these inspiring individuals.

The post The Future is Farmers appeared first on Modern Farmer.

Sam Rudman, one of the first-year farmers of Friends Farm in Lafayette, Colorado, says covering a field with fertilizer shortly before 60-miles-per-hour winds started up was definitely one of his many “rookie mistakes” as a new farmer. He clearly remembers the day in February 2024 when winds threatened to blow away hundreds of dollars in supplies and hours of hard work as a big wakeup call. 

“We got lucky,” he laughs. “And that is going to be our strategy for the rest of the year going forward, to remain lucky in regards to Mother Nature.”

Rudman and Clifford work on trellising tomato plants. Photography by Claire Duncombe.

But the Friends Farm team isn’t counting on luck alone. The three team members—Rudman, Oliver Aurand and Kevin Reiss, who met in 2023 on a nearby farm—bring backgrounds in soil science, anthropology and just over a decade of combined field hand experience. They have also tapped into an innovative community network to find land and mentorship. “Land access is the top challenge cited by current farmers, aspiring farmers and those who have stopped farming,” writes the National Young Farmers Coalition in a 2022 report.

Friends Farm is not technically located on agricultural land. The two-acre vegetable operation is owned by Nyland Cohousing Community, a 42-house community established with the aim of creating connection and supporting sustainable ideals. A former member started the farm a decade ago but became disillusioned by the inability to make a profit. In 2023, Waves of Grain Food Coop leased the land to continue the organic farm in support of its mission to provide fresh and affordable produce to communities along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. 

“Solo full-time farming two acres is an insane thing to do,” says Waves of Grain co-owner Red Clifford , especially while also running a coop. Around that time, Clifford learned of the Friend Farm crew, who were looking for land to farm at the same time Clifford was trying to find help.

It was a serendipitous moment that helped inspire Waves of Grain to use its resources to establish an incubator farm. The coop continued to lease the acreage from the cohousing community and subsidized rent for Friends Farm. It would also help sell a portion of the farm’s produce at regional farmers markets.

Waves of Grain also started mentoring the new farmers, sharing insights about the particularities of the land, preparing the produce for market and helping build the relationship with Nyland residents. The farmers appreciate the practical knowledge Clifford shares from their own mistakes the previous season.

Waves of Grain also hopes to supplement some of the supply chain aspects of a farmer’s job, so the farmers can focus more on farming. During the growing season, a farmer is often focused on the small space of ground before them. Their “view is a 36-inch bubble,” says Clifford. “It’s like basically where they’re looking on the ground to weed.” So far this season, Friends Farm has had particular success selling its salad greens and hakurei turnips.

Friends Farm is located in Lafayette, CO, along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Photography by Claire Duncombe.

But Friends Farm was also founded on the idea that farming is about more than cultivating vegetables. Aurand’s background in anthropology helped create a focus on nurturing community. So far this season, the farm has hosted nine classes covering topics such as edible landscaping and native gardening as well as community farm days, during which Nyland residents and others help work the farm and learn about growing food. In addition, the farm provides a CSA program to 20 of the Nyland residents.

Friends Farm has thrived because of help from its community, but even with support, it has learned that farming always comes with challenges. The farmers were spreading fertilizer on that windy day in February to amend a clay soil that had been compacted by years of heavy machinery use. A large weed seed bank caused problems in past years, such as the bindweed that consistently outcompetes crops. And the farm relies on municipal water for much of the season, resulting in water bills in the thousands of dollars, says Rudman.

“The concerns are not that you’re going to do a bad job and you’re going to run a bad farm,” he says. “It’s that things can go wrong. The weather can screw you over. Small mistakes can be very costly.”

Clifford and Aurand load up stakes to trellis tomato plants. Photography by Claire Duncombe.

The learning curve remains a challenge, the farmers agree. So far this year, they’ve explored more efficient ways to run the farm and fine-tuned their use of tools such as the Jang seeder, which helps speed up and space out seeds. They’ve also tried relay cropping experiments such as planting tomatoes and peppers before the other was finished growing to help optimize their planting space. Their efforts have yielded varying degrees of success. They consider the support from Waves of Grain and Nyland a leg up. Just having the buildings and irrigation set up was helpful, says Rudman. And Nyland residents have often helped fix problems with the water system.

The relationship between Nyland, Waves of Grain and Friends Farm works because of its reciprocal model, says Clifford. Nyland exchanges its land for a secure food source, and Waves of Grain provides its resources for a supply of food today and an investment to support the farming community and the food they will grow into the future.

This story is part of our Future Farmers series, highlighting the joys and hurdles of a career in agriculture today. You can read more of this series here. 

The post Young Farmers Dig Into Land appeared first on Modern Farmer.

Dzap’l Gye’a̱win Skiik translates to busy eagle or an eagle who gets things done. A perfect name for Jacob Beaton. As an Indigenous businessman from the Tsimshian First Nation, he never imagined himself farming or teaching others. He lived a quintessentially suburban life with his wife and two sons before devastating wildfires and floods in B.C. inspired him to start thinking about climate change and food security for his family. 

In 2018, they bought Tea Creek, a 140-acre farm outside the village of Kitwanga in northern B.C. With the intent of keeping most of the property forested and only farming a few acres, they settled into farm life. But Beaton had to learn from scratch. He turned to YouTube videos and started visiting other small organic farms throughout the Pacific Northwest and as far away as Europe. 

Jacob Beaton stands in his field on Tea Creek.

“Farming, ranching, field base food production were a big part of Indigenous culture in this region that got wiped out by the Indian Act,” says Beaton. When the act was enacted in 1876, it took control over land rights and access away from Indigenous populations, which blocked most agricultural opportunities. “Immediately, from day one, our First Nations friends local to the area started dropping by, really excited that we were farming,” he says. Some remembered stories their grandparents and great-grandparents had told about farming in the area and asked Beaton to come to their communities and teach them.

But he was busy learning himself and, as he put it, there’s only one of me to go around. In 2020, the pandemic struck, and with food sovereignty top of mind for Indigenous communities in the region, it quickly became clear to the Beatons that they could do more to help their community and it was time to expand. Developing the Food Sovereignty Training Program, they invited Indigenous people interested in learning how to grow their own food to Tea Creek. 

Providing skills training in a culturally appropriate and empowering way is not an easy thing to do, but Beaton is “the eagle who gets things done.” 

Realizing that whatever was taught at Tea Creek had to translate into marketable skills and employment opportunities, Beaton enlisted support from SkilledTrade BC. Working with  employers, industry and government, Skills Trade BC approves non-public training providers, such as Tea Creek, to train and certify individuals who meet industry and government accreditation standards in their trade of choice. Tea Creek is able to offer apprenticeship programs and train an individual all the way to Red Seal certification. Recognized as the interprovincial standard of excellence in the skilled trades, it is the highest level of training in the country. 

Programs run from January to November, and they are open to Indigenous peoples 16 and up at no cost. Meals are provided and bunkhouse accommodation is available. All programs have Indigenous instructors and include carpentry, safety training, first aid, drone mapping, heavy equipment operation, cooking, horticultural training and administration. 

An aerial view of the farm. Photo courtesy of Tea Creek

Tea Creek is not a school with desks and classrooms. The land is the classroom. All courses are held outside as much as possible. Instructional cohorts are small, ranging from three to six people. This creates better opportunities for instructors and mentors to connect with trainees who in turn receive more hands-on learning experiences. 

Arriving at Tea Creek in 2020, Sheldon Good was 23 years old when he learned to repair and operate tractors. He says the experience at Tea Creek motivated him to get up during the day and do things. “The environment is really welcoming and there are really nice people taking care of everything,” he says. Acquiring skills he otherwise wouldn’t have learned, he now works at a sawmill.

Tea Creek though is more than learning to operate a backhoe or tractor. The farming methods taught here include best practices from regenerative and conventional farming. This includes learning how to make fertilizer from compost and using a tractor to till the soil. Beaton’s business savvy has him insisting that trainees leave Tea Creek with a range of economically viable farming skills. With food sovereignty top of mind, traditional Indigenous crops such as corn are grown alongside kale, broccoli and lettuce. In 2022, the first crop of Ozette potatoes was harvested. These fingerling potatoes, renowned for their nutty flavor, were brought to the Pacific Northwest from South America by Spanish settlers 200 years ago. Grown primarily by First Nations peoples, they were rarely known outside of Indigenous communities until the late 20th century.

Tea Creek in B.C. Photo courtesy of Tea Creek

In 2023, Tea Creek hosted Farmstand Fridays where 20,000 pounds of fresh mixed vegetables were distributed to Indigenous families and communities. Tea Creek also prepares and serves 100 hot meals per day to trainees and staff using vegetables from the farm. 

In 2021, Tea Creek’s first year of accredited training, 33 people graduated from Food Sovereignty Training programs. Last year, 292 Indigenous people enrolled in training programs and more than 140 graduated from at least one course. 

“Tea Creek, can solve Canada’s farmer shortage. If funded and supported in a real way, Tea Creek could be scaled with multiple training centers across the country.” Jacob Beaton

It’s estimated that, by 2033, 40 percent of all farm operators in Canada will retire. Two-thirds don’t have succession plans in place. 

“Tea Creek, I’ve been told,” says Beaton, “in the area of agriculture, outputs more people in a year than any other agricultural training program in the province.” With a waiting list of 75 First Nations from the east to west coasts eager to learn, there is no shortage of enthusiasm. 

The legacies of Canada’s Indian Act, though, are far reaching. Canada’s residential school system stripped Indigenous children of their cultural identity and language. This has caused intergenerational harm that continues to be experienced through ongoing marginalization and systemic racism.

In 2023, 93 percent of Indigenous youth attending programs at Tea Creek identified this historical trauma as a factor in their mental health challenges. Through the peer-to-peer counseling Tea Creek offers, the sense of belonging and the purpose it provides through its training, 100 percent of trainees 30 and under, in 2023, reported improvements in their mental well-being. This is Tea Creek’s real success. 

“Before I got here, I was really in a dark place,” says Justice Moore, who is featured in the film Tea Creek, part of CBC’s Absolutely Canadian documentary series. “I was getting to the point of, just, no return. That’s the only way I can put it. I wouldn’t be here if Tea Creek weren’t here. That’s a fact.”

This story is part of our Future Farmers series, highlighting the joys and hurdles of a career in agriculture today. You can read more of this series here. 

The post Meet the Farmer Training Indigenous Youth and Revitalizing a Culture of Food Sovereignty appeared first on Modern Farmer.

There are many organizations out there, from large national groups to regional and community efforts, all working to help young farmers start their careers. Whether you’re looking for advice on organic farming or you want to try an apprenticeship or you want to understand federal policy, there’s a group for you. 

This is a (definitely non-exhaustive!) list of just a few of the organizations that can help get you started on the right path. 

Young Agrarians – This Canadian group has resources and mentorship for farmers across the country and apprenticeship programs for people in western Canada. 

National Young Farmers Coalition – This national group has 24 chapters across the US, and it has a goal of remaking the food system to be more equitable. 

Future Farmers of America  – This national student organization prioritizes agricultural education as a path to success in many fields, including farming, biology, chemistry, engineering, and more.

4H – This is a huge youth program, with more than 500,000 volunteers and six million participants. Kids complete hands-on projects, such as raising livestock.

Canadian Young Farmers Forum – This organization prioritizes education and training, with farmer-to-farmer networking. Its annual conference brings farmers from across the country together. 

Greenhorns – Based in Maine but running nationally, this organization works to reform the agriculture industry with a focus on regenerative ranching, ecological restoration and food justice. 

Junior Farmers Association of Ontario – Like many regional organizations, the JFAO works with farmers between the ages of 15 and 29 from all over Ontario, hosting monthly meetings and even an international exchange program.

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program from the USDA – This program provides grants for education, mentorship and technical assistance. 

Young Farmers and Ranchers program from the American Farm Bureau Federation – This leadership program for young Farm Bureau members helps develop and advocate for public policies that strengthen agriculture and rural communities. 

National Farmers Union Youth Advisory Committee – This arm of the NFU represents young farmers across Canada. The group has two seats on the NFU Board of Directors, and holds events like an annual retreat.

This story is part of our Future Farmers series, highlighting the joys and hurdles of a career in agriculture today. You can read more of this series here. 

The post Where to Get Started: A Guide For Young Farmers appeared first on Modern Farmer.

“She said, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do about it. We’re going to start an Instagram. We’re going to host queer farmers. We’re going to start a conference,’” Breckbill says. “And we did!”

This is the origin story of Queer Farmer Convergence (otherwise known as QFC), a three-day conference that takes place every September on Breckbill’s farm, Humble Hands Harvest. Here, queer utopian imaginings come to life in the form of workshops, talks, small groups and family dinners. Not unlike the mythologized lesbian seperatism of yore, these meet-ups are blissful, albeit brief. Luckily, when Breckbill and the 50 or so attendees return to their day-to-day realities, they have plenty to unpack and explore until next September rolls around. 

Breckbill is, of course, not alone in her urge to gather together with other rural queers. It can be challenging to build and maintain a network of LGBTQ neighbors and allies when people live many miles apart. This is especially true when compared to city living, where folks live in close quarters and you’re much more likely to live near a gay or lesbian bar. Nonprofits like Out in the Open, Cultivating Change Foundation and Lesbian Natural Resources, as well as projects like Idyll Dandy Arts, The Quinta and Country Queers are all dedicated to building community in rural and agricultural spaces: “It’s really important to me to craft a gathering where everyone is welcome and comfortable and there’s a sense of belonging,” Breckbill says.

Photo by Emma Banks.

Agriculture in the United States has historically been a white, male-dominated industry. According to the 2014 farm census, more than 92 percent of American farmers are white and more than 86 percent are men. While the census does not collect data about sexuality or gender identity, there have been efforts to gather this information. A 2020 paper titled “Queer Farmers in the 2017 US Census of Agriculture”, for example, presents research that “suggests queer farmers are both more prevalent than expected and different from other farmers in significant ways.” But in what ways are queer farmers different than their straight, cis counterparts? And do those differences have the potential to alter or improve American agriculture as we know it? 

[RELATED: Cultivating Crops and Community at TransGenerational Farm]

The American food system and agriculture industry were hit incredibly hard during the pandemic, and economic gaps between huge industrial farms and small operations were laid bare. Major corporations continued to profit off of low-wage labor and large-scale monoculture farming. Meanwhile, projects rooted in sustainability and regenerative practices often relied on their local communities to stay afloat. Many queer farmers fall into the latter category, continuously questioning the system even as they participate in it—and dreaming up alternatives in the process. 

Coco Faria from Washington State. Photo by Emma Banks.

“For me, queering the systems of capitalism means that, when I have a farm, making sure people are being paid a living wage, versus just minimum wage,” says Coco Faria, a queer farmer in Washington State. “And also, giving food away. There’s so much opportunity to do that sort of stuff in farming, but it’s also such a hard job, and often people just don’t bother because they’re just trying to get it done. But if you slow down and look at all of those things, you’ll feel better. You’ll be able to bring more people into the community, and it will be a community experience rather than just something you do alone.”

Further south, on Sauvie Island outside of Portland, Oregon, the Raceme Farm Collective is working to heal what has historically been a traumatic relationship to the land for Black and brown folks. Allinee “shiny” Flanary of Scrapberry Farm, Letty Chichtonyolotli Martinez of Flying Dogheart Farm and Xóchitl Garnica of Chalchi Farm form the three-person collective. 

Allinee “shiny” Flanary of Scrapberry Farm. Photo by Emma Banks.

“People started saying to me, ‘You look more whole, more healthy, more happy. What are you doing?’” Flanary says. “I’m just fucking around, putting seeds in the ground, trying to figure out what happens. You know? It’s been a very meandering journey, fueled by those competing forces of trauma and liberation, trying to heal individually while recognizing that we are at our best when we work collectively. You gotta be aware of your shit, and address what you need to work on, and also know that there is no way to get free from this struggle by yourself. So working in a collective has always been at the heart of my farming journey. I came into it knowing that it wasn’t something I would do alone.”

[RELATED: Blossoming Into Joy]

Similarly, Martinez emphasizes that queer farming is not a relationship of exploitation—one where the land gives and the farmer takes—but rather one of mutual respect. “I’m learning the names of these plants; eventually I’ll learn their songs. If I’m making medicine I need to learn how to stay in my lane and know my boundaries as a guest. Sing to the land! Tell it stories. Even before we got the land, I asked if I could just come by and say hi and sing. It’s a wooing; Can I come here? Will you have us? It’s tapping into that unknown, and leaning into it.”

Letty Chichtonyolotli Martinez of Flying Dogheart Farm. Photo by Emma Banks.

Back in Iowa, Breckbill knew she wanted Humble Hands Harvest to be cooperatively owned for a similar reason to the Raceme Collective: so that she could work in community. For Sweet Potato, a trans farmer working at River Run Farm on the Olympic Peninsula, a co-op model also feels like the right call. 

“I see cooperatives as one of many antidotes to [hierarchies],” they say. “Members of the cooperative have an ownership stake in the land; they have a say in how it’s operated and what is done with the profits or the business. Capitalism is about how the capital is controlled; you’re extracting the value of people’s labor, and in the case of farming, the value that we produce in the fields, and funneling it toward the top. Whereas a cooperative farm is about the farmers deciding how that capital will be distributed and spent.”

Sweet Potato. Photo by Emma Banks.

These ideals—cooperative ownership, respect for the land and community prioritization—all make up what is a queerer vision for American agriculture. In the midst of an ongoing global pandemic and the threat of Big Ag monopolies, perhaps this vision seems difficult to adopt. For queer farmers, however, it’s essential.

“If we acknowledge that the systems are working in the way they were designed, then I don’t want to leave people with no way forward,” Flanary says. “What do you do with that? Is it just hopeless? I think that people have to let in some hard truths about food, first and foremost. Talk to farmers! Food is not cheap. That’s the system at work—it is giving some people abundance, and relegating others to intense scarcity…if you do nothing else with that information, just be curious. How does that truth show up in your own neighborhood? I really believe we’re all going to get free block by block, and that requires you getting to know your neighbors, talking to them, and understanding how that food system operates on your block. That’s huge work.”

The post The Queer Farmers Reimagining American Agriculture appeared first on Modern Farmer.

From scripted dramas to reality competitions, farms and ranches make perfect settings for gripping television. There’s tension and comedy and action built right in. And, sometimes, there’s maybe even a little romance. So take a load off, get comfortable and find your next favorite show.

Heartland
CBC Television

Let’s start with this behemoth, shall we? Heartland is a Canadian drama that’s based on a series of novels. If you’re looking for a show to sink into, this is the one. Currently on its 15th season (with more than 20 novels, too), there are no shortage of episodes to watch. 

The show follows Amy on her family ranch in Alberta. She, along with her older sister and grandfather, work the ranch and rehabilitate horses—something at which Amy’s late mother was excellent. Over the years, the family deals with deaths, births (both human and horse), marriages and failed relationships, new businesses and everything in between. If you want a family drama with a side of cowboy hat, you’ve come to the right place. 

Bless This Mess
ABC

This comedy had only two seasons, but they are worth checking out. The show is packed with comedians (Dax Shepard, Lake Bell and Ed Begley Jr., to name a few) and they hit genuine laughs with its fish-out-of-water premise. 

Mike and Rio leave their high-pressured jobs in New York and move to rural Nebraska after inheriting an old family farm. But their adjustment doesn’t go quite as smoothly as they might have hoped. The farmhouse is in need of major repairs, and neither of them have ever actually farmed before. How hard can it be, right? While the premise is well-worn territory, the cast totally sells the show and makes it something light and fresh.

This Farming Life
BBC

Oh, to be a farmer in Great Britain. This documentary series follows different sets of farming families across the rolling hills and picturesque cliff sides of Scotland and northern England, and it’s as gorgeous as you can imagine. 

Of course, this show offers more than just a great view. These farming families have real-life struggles, from trying to round up sheep roaming on a rugged cliff to trying to keep their businesses afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, the subjects (mostly) maintain a pleasant attitude and offer good humor. It’s the best of farming life, without any of the work. 

The American Farm
History

Another reality show, The American Farm is a slightly darker, more honest look at what life as a farmer is truly like. That’s not to say it’s not hopeful or enjoyable, but it doesn’t shy away from tough subjects. 

Farming families across the country are shown racing to plant crops, take care of their animals and make each moment of their harvest count. The show celebrates real people putting in hard work every day. It’s also beautifully filmed, with overhead shots of amber fields and adorable baby animals. These farmers are just like you—except on television.

Yellowstone
Peacock/Paramount

OK, so not every show on this list is going to be uber-realistic. We’re all allowed our escapism, right? That brings us to Yellowstone, whose fourth season just started. 

This drama (and often, melodrama) follows the Dutton family, headed up by John (Kevin Costner) who runs the family’s huge ranch. John and his children are constantly coming up against obstacles and threats to their ranch, notably from the neighboring Native American reservation, government officials and even the national parks. While it’s doubtful that any real ranches run in this manner (when would you have time to take care of the animals with all the scheming and monologuing?), a bit of farming fluff can be just what you need sometimes.

The post 5 Great Shows About Farming and Ranching appeared first on Modern Farmer.

These days, most cities have farm-themed camps in their environs. They typically include more-traditional summer camp activities, such as crafts, sports and outdoor skills. Here’s a small sampling of what’s out there, including both day camp and sleepaway options.

1. Muscoot Farm

Westchester County, New York

This turn-of-the century farm, outside of New York City, offers a half-day Wrangler Camp for kids ages four and five (a livestock-centred experience) and a six-week-long Young Farmers camp for kids in grades one through eight (which includes a range of farm activities). Camps range from $150 for weeklong half-day sessions to $350 for weeklong full-day sessions.

2. Sproutin’ Up Farm

Fort Collins, Colorado

A community-supported agriculture farm with a focus on education, Sproutin’ Up offers skill-building programs for at-risk teens throughout the year, but their summer camp for kids (ages five to 10) is all about fun. In addition to farm activities, the kids spend time at a local climbing gym. Three weeklong half-day sessions are available for $200 each.

3. Farm Camp

Plantation, California

Located north of San Francisco, this sleepaway camp spreads out over several hundred acres in the coastal hills of Sonoma County. This is not a place for pampered kids — the lodging is tent-style, with compost toilets and outdoor showers. Numerous sessions are available throughout the summer, including one-, two- and three-week options.

4. Alegre Farm

Dacula, Georgia

Your kids will groom a pony, go for a hayride and learn to milk a goat at this camp, outside of Atlanta. Three-day sessions (mornings only) cost $125, and parents can attend with their children for an extra fee.

5. Angelic Organics Learning Center

Caledonia, Illinois

This sleepaway camp, located midway between Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison, takes place on a 200-acre farmstead with bunk-style housing for the kids. Campers help run the farm during each of five weeklong sessions in summer. There are four sessions open to kids ages eight to 12 and one session for teens. Camps cost $1,050 per session, with payment plans and scholarships available.

The post 5 Farm Camps Your Kids Will Love appeared first on Modern Farmer.