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Education, Training and Apprenticeship Opportunities

The Biodynamic Association acts as a clearinghouse for individuals looking for education centers and training programs, as well as those seeking to make contact with farms offering apprenticeships. The following is a list of on-going programs. We recommend you contact regional biodynamic groups for updated activities or contact programs of interest for details. Please email info@biodynamics.com to add your organization or program to this page.

EDUCATION CENTERS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS:

For up-to-date listings of events and workshops, visit our calendar of events.

  • Angelic Organics Learning Center (Caledonia, IL) offers weekend workshops on food & farming, farm tours, family overnights and Stateline Farm Beginnings®, a farmer-led training and support program designed to help people plan and launch sustainable farm businesses. 815-389-8455 or www.learngrowconnect.org
  • Foxhollow Farm (Crestwood, KY) offers on-farm classes, farm tours, and internships. 502-241-9674 or www.foxhollow.com
  • Hawthorne Valley Farm (Ghent, NY) offers day-long classes, two-week intensives in biodynamics, a Whole Farm Planning Course, summer camps, and farm tours, as well as year-long farm apprenticeships. 518-672-7500 or www.hawthornevalleyfarm.org (NABDAP mentor farm and classroom study program)
  • The Josephine Porter Institute (Woolwine, VA) offers day-long and week-long workshops on the biodynamic preparations. 276-930-2463 or www.jpibiodynamics.org
  • Michael Fields Agriculture Institute (East Troy, WI) offers a CSA planning course and a series of whole farm workshops. 262-642-3303 or www.michaelfields.org
  • North American Biodynamic Apprenticeship Program (United States and Canada), a program of the Biodynamic Association, offers a two-year certification in biodynamic agriculture. Participating apprentices complete 24 months of structured, on-farm training with one or more mentor farmers in the United States and Canada, and an intensive classroom study program covering principles and concepts of biodynamics. For more information and a listing of mentor farms, visit our NABDAP program page. Some NABDAP mentor farms are also listed below.
  • The Pfeiffer Center (Chestnut Ridge, NY) offers a one-year part-time introduction to biodynamics, consisting of eight weekend sessions and a final week-long intensive workshop taught by experienced biodynamic practitioners. 845-352-5020, ext 20, or www.pfeiffercenter.org. (NABDAP mentor farm and classroom study program)
  • School of the Living Earth (Boulder, CO) offers a series of weekend biodynamic workshops. www.goodfarmers.org/classes-workshops (NABDAP classroom study program)
  • Rudolf Steiner College, A Center for Biodynamic Education (Fair Oaks, CA) offers a biodynamic farming and gardening workshop series, held one Saturday a month for 8 months (September through May, excluding February), followed by a week-long intensive in June. Classes in basic biodynamics, biodynamic beekeeping, nature perception and other related topics are also offered, as well as a biodynamic apprenticeship. 916-965-0389 or www.steinercollege.edu. (NABDAP mentor farm and classroom study program)
  • The Individuality of the Farm: An advanced Biodynamic Course at Saugeen River CSA (Durham, Ontario) is an eight month series of workshops. 519-369-3567 or www.biodynamics.com/nabdap-ontario-courses (NABDAP classroom study program)
  • Biodynamic Agricultural College (formerly Emerson College - United Kingdom), offers a three-year vocational training program in biodynamics in the U.K. and is the only program that offers English language biodynamic training to a Level 4, state-certified diploma. www.bdacollege.org.uk
  • Biodynamic Education Centre (Australia and United Kingdom), an international college offering a range of educational programs for biodynamic farming and gardening. The courses offered by the Centre have been written and developed over many years of practical experience in the biodynamic method for both large-scale agricultural and smaller-scale gardening systems. Also offers a two-year correspondence course "Certificate Program." www.biodynamiceducation.com
  • Taruna College (New Zealand) is the only government-approved anthroposophical adult training center in New Zealand. For the last twelve years we have offered a one-year training in biodynamics. www.taruna.ac.nz

APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

These are ongoing opportunities for on-farm training, including a few seasonal openings and newly created opportunities. For specific apprenticeship or internship openings, visit our forums. See also the list of farms participating in the North American Biodynamic Apprenticeship Program.

East Coast:

  • Brookfield Farm, 4 Hulst Road, Amherst, MA 01002, www.brookfieldfarm.org/apprentice.html. Brookfield Farm is a living learning center and becoming an apprentice provides a comprehensive experience of our farm, from the inside out. Apprentices work in all aspects of the farm's production, from soil preparation to harvest, from tractors to hand hoes, from administration to marketing farm products. (NABDAP mentor farm)
  • Hawthorne Valley Farm, a diversified, Demeter certified Biodynamic farm, is looking for farm apprentices. Please see our website, www.hawthornevalleyfarm.org, for more detailed information. Our apprentices work with and learn about the interrelationships between our milking herd of 60 grass-fed cows, our rotational grazing system, the twelve-acres of mixed vegetable fields, and get an overview of the administration of our 265-member Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Our apprentices are expected to work well with others, to have some patience and a drive to get things done. A sense of humor is always useful! (NABDAP mentor farm and classroom study program)
  • Horse and Buggy Produce, Inc., PO Box 416, Charlottesville, VA, 22902. www.horseandbuggyproduce.com. Email april@horseandbuggyproduce.com. We are a food cooperative/CSA delivering local, spray-free produce, eggs, dairy, and meats to over 1000 families in Charlottesville and Lynchburg. Over 100 small, local family farms, most of which are members of an Old Order Mennonite community, supply us with their harvest each week. 6 1/2 month internships/apprenticeships available.
  • Kimberton CSA, P.O. Box 192, Kimberton, PA 19442, www.kimbertoncsa.org. Kimberton CSA is a community of people that was formed to create and support a Biodynamic garden. The community's ways of working together continue to evolve according to the wishes, interests, understanding and energy of the members. (NABDAP mentor farm)
  • Quail Hill Farm, P.O. Box 2088, Southampton, NY 11968.
  • Richview Farm, RD 1, Aurora, NY 13026.
  • Roxbury Farm, PO Box 338, Kinderhook, NY 12106. Call (518) 758-8558, email info@roxburyfarm.com, or visit www.roxburyfarm.com for more information. Roxbury is a community supported farm, one of the largest in the country, and the first to have a community in New York City. (NABDAP mentor farm)
  • Pfeiffer Center, 260 Hungry Hollow Rd, Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977. Call 845-352-5020 x20, email info@pfeiffercenter.org or visit www.pfeiffercenter.org for more information. The Pfeiffer Center internship, a twelve-month residential program, is a unique opportunity to learn the nuts and bolts of Biodynamics in a setting that blends intensive garden work with unique academic opportunities. (NABDAP mentor farm and classroom study program)
  • Sankanac CSA is a 170 member Biodynamic garden situated in the rolling hills of beautiful Chester County, PA. In our 10-acre garden we grow a diverse seasonal mix of vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit and small livestock. The garden is part of Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, a 432 acre agricultural and crafts community which focuses on life-sharing and specifically includes adults with disabilities. The CSA offers a 1 or 2 year apprenticeship, and 1-3 month internships, in biodynamic agriculture. For more information, call 610-935-3963, email information@camphillkimberton.org , or visit www.camphillkimberton.org. (NABDAP mentor farm)
  • Temple-Wilton Community Farm, 19 Potter Road, Wilton, NH 03086, www.templewiltoncommunityfarm.com. Each year Temple Wilton Community Farm takes in two to three apprentices to help us run the farm and also to provide these individuals with an education in Biodynamic Agriculture. One apprentice is needed May through August in the dairy and two other apprentices are needed during the growing season (May - October) in our vegetable gardens. (NABDAP mentor farm)
  • Turtle Tree Seed, Camphill Village, Copake, NY 12516. We offer an opportunity to work with a biodynamic seedsman as a volunteer co-worker in Camphill Village, a social therapeutic community.

Central:

  • Krusenbaum Farm, W3194 County Rd. D, Elkhorn, WI 53121.
  • Live Springs Farm is a diversified 610 acre biodynamic farm just outside the rural community of Carrollton, Illinois. We raise pasture-raised pigs, broiler chickens, and laying hens as well as grass-fed beef. We also farm approximately 200 acres growing wheat, barley, peas, alfalfa/grass hay, and cover crops which are used largely for feeding the pigs and chickens on the farm. We sell the meat and eggs we produce direct to consumers through various outlets including farmers' markets, grocery stores, restaurants, and CSA's. 9-12 month long apprenticeship position beginning in March or April with the opportunity for a second-year stay. Please see our website for more details about the position and how to apply: www.livespringsfarm.com.
  • Lake-Geauga CSA, 8345 Brakeman Rd., Leroy Township, OH 44077.
  • Midheaven Farm. Contact Dewane Morgan, 11059 County, Park Rapids, MN 56470. Email sgmorg@wcta.net. A diversified 400-acre biodynamic farm located eight miles southwest of Park Rapids, Minnesota, raising vegetables, raspberries, eggs, and meat for a 100-member CSA (with a waiting list). (NABDAP mentor farm)
  • Philadelphia Community Farm, Box 668, Osceola, WI 54020. Email pcomfarm@centurytel.net or visit www.philadelphiacommunityfarm.org/.
  • Mark Trela, 638 East North, New Harmony, IN 47631.
  • Zinniker Farm, N7479 Bowers Rd., Elkhorn, WI 53121.

South:

West:

  • Beneficial Farm CSA, 286 Arroyo Salado, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Call (505) 422-2238, email stevew@plateautel.net, or visit www.beneficialfarm.com. The farm practices the sustainable techniques of biodynamic farming (developed in the 1920s by Dr. Rudolph Steiner) to enrich the soil while producing an abundance of wholesome food.
  • Earth One, Roseburg, OR 97470. Diversified: cheese-making, fruit trees, draft horse, 6 hours theoretical/week. Year round. Call (541) 784-9024, or email earth1@wildblue.net.
  • Flowers by the Sea LLC, a highly diverse, Demeter-certified organic/Biodynamic production farm and nursery, is offering a unique Graduate Apprenticeship Program in 2009. We're looking for a very few to help us launch this new learning program. Complete information is available from our web site at Graduate Apprenticeship Program. Contact us by email at Learning at Flowers by the Sea,or by telephone at 707 877-1722. Visit www.fbts.com for more information.
  • Greenbank Farm Agriculture Training Center, Whidbey Island, WA, offers a seven-month academic and experiential training program for aspiring farmers with a focus on organic vegetable production and CSA marketing. A biodynamic overview is provided. For more information, contact Maryon Attwood at maryon@whidbey.net (360-222-3171) or get more information at the website: www.agbizcenter.org/node/45.
  • Live Power Community Farm,25451 East Lane, Covelo, CA 95428. Phone/fax (707) 983-8196, email livepower@igc.org, or visit www.livepower.org/Apprentice/. Live Power is a horse-powered biodynamic farm growing four acres of vegetables for 200 member families of our CSA. We also raise beef cattle and sheep, and maintain a small orchard. Our apprenticeship program provides the opportunity to try small-scale sustainable farming without capital investment, risk, or living expenses on a producing farm in a work-study environment. We are also seeking journey-persons for longer-term commitments.
  • Love Apple Farms, a twenty-one acre farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains, teaches apprentices how to grow a vast array of fruits, veggies, herbs and edible flowers using biodynamic and organic farming practices. We have laying hens, dairy goats, and bee hives. We host classes on gardening, chicken keeping, composting, cooking, cheese-making, baking, and other homesteading skills. We are the exclusive farm for a world-renowned restaurant 12 miles from the farm. We have a large tomato seedling sale every Spring where we sell over 100 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes and educate our customers on best growing practices. Our apprenticeship program is centered around the academic school year. Apprenticeship periods are Jan 1 - May 31, June 1 - Aug 31, and Sept 1 - Dec 31. Apprentices may stay for more than one period. For more information on our apprenticeship program, and to download our application, visit: http://www.growbetterveggies.com/growbetterveggies/farm-apprentice-program.html
  • Muslin Creek Farm, 79296 Repsleger Rd., Cottage Grove, OR 97424. Focus on three acres of vegetables, seed production, fruit orchard, bees, flowers, caring for dairy goats and dairy sheep. Interns will have hands-on experience in all aspects of growing food: watering, sowing, transplanting, harvesting, weeding, and deliveries.
  • Rudolf Steiner College, A Center for Biodynamic Education, Raphael Garden, 3937 Bannister Road, Fair Oaks, CA 95628. Call (916) 965-0389, fax (916) 961-2662, or visit http://steinercollege.edu/ (NABDAP mentor farm and classroom study program)
  • S&S Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 2143 Lopez Sound Road, Lopez Island, WA 98261. Besides learning about sustainable food production, interns follow individualized curricula, carry out guided research, write reports and participate in farm seminars. Call (360) 468-3335, email sshomestead@rockisland.com, or visit www.sshomestead.org. (NABDAP mentor farm)
  • Tierra Miguel Farm, PO Box 1065, Pauma Valley, CA 92061. Phone/fax (760) 742-1151, email csa@tierramiguel.org, or visit www.tierramiguelfarm.org.

Canada: