Farm Apprenticeships

By Anna Burke
Updated on March 14, 2023
article image
by iStockphoto.com/SolStock
If you aren't sure which direction you'd like to go in for your farming venture, try an apprenticeship that will teach you a little of everything.

Find farm apprenticeships to dip your toes into the water first before jumping. Farm apprenticeships can teach you valuable skills before taking on your own farm.

I should have known I had the “farming bug” when I was more excited to hear back about apprenticing with a local sheep farmer than I was for a first date. I didn’t have a car, so I biked the seven miles of hilly western Massachusetts roads to the farm with my heart in my mouth. I desperately wanted to learn more about sheep. I was willing to do anything, and I was pleasantly surprised when the shepherd offered to pay me for my time. The thought of payment hadn’t even occurred to me.

Since that day, I have apprenticed on three organic farms and worked on several more. Each experience has taught me something new about farming, from pest control to dealing with on-farm injuries. I met other apprentices along the way and was able to learn from their experiences as well. Many of us started out the same: Eager to learn and willing to do anything to get our hands dirty.

But there is such a thing as being a little too eager. I was lucky with my first apprenticeship, but not all opportunities are created equal. It is your responsibility to find an apprenticeship that fits your needs and goals, as it will largely affect your enthusiasm, physical and mental health, and farming career.

Why apprentice?

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-803-7096