Farmer Apprenticeship Program
Kearsarge Food Hub’s Farmer Apprenticeship program is designed to support potential new farmers with access to land, education, markets, community, and mentorship.
This apprenticeship creates a foundation from which individuals can start their farming journey or work in any number of positions within the local food system.
Teaching Themes
Growing Food
Food as Medicine
Ecological Learning
Nature-Based Self-Care
In a world with an aging farmer population and industrial agricultural practices directly contributing to climate change and environmental devastation, training the next generation of farmers in sustainable and regenerative agriculture is critical to feeding ourselves and future generations with clean, safe, and nourishing foods!
Meet our 2024 Farmer Apprentices!
Rah Nelson
Flower Farmer Apprentice
Rah is our first ever Flower Farmer Apprentice, learning to grow cut flowers on the 1/5th of an acre plot we call Baby Beet Farm, the farm stand field where Sweet Beet started nearly 10 years ago. Cut flowers complement her experience growing veggies on Sweet Beet Farm and will be a focus of the farm-based artist retreat she plans to start in the future. Throughout the apprenticeship, Rah will be learning everything from seed-starting to selling, including maintaining healthy plants and soil life, harvesting, and bouquet-arranging. Find our Flower Farmer bouquets in Sweet Beet Market!
Jake McCormack
Production Coordinator
Jake began on Sweet Beet Farm to learn the basics of farming in 2021 as our first farmer apprentice. He’s learned a ton of skills over the years and is continuing the learning journey this year focusing on how to manage the main crop production and how to oversee a crew. Jake has plans to start is own farm in the next couple years!
Molly Alfonso
Crew Lead
After managing the Vegetable Ranch in Warner, NH for a few seasons, Molly joined the Sweet Beet Farm crew to continue learning about regenerative farming systems. This year she is improving her farming skills through immersion in the unique systems of Sweet Beet Farm and the larger food hub system; learning the “how” and “why” behind the systems at Sweet Beet Farm, and the connection to the greater work of the Kearsarge Food Hub.
Origins of the Farmer Apprenticeship
Cassie and Jake went from our first ever Farmer Apprentices to staff here at the Kearsarge Food Hub! Cassie is our Food Access Manager running Sweet Beet Market and food donations. Jake is a full time farmer on Sweet Beet Farm!
In 2021, Kearsarge Food Hub developed the Farmer Apprenticeship Program, alongside community partners Colby-Sawyer College and Dorothy and Andy Jeffrey.
Through this collaboration, we’re able to do our part in growing the next generation of farmers.
This apprenticeship creates a foundation from which the individuals can start their farming journey or work in any number of positions within the local food industry.
Farm Apprenticeship Video Playlist