As the U.S. farming population ages, new generations of farmers are needed to foster vibrant, environmentally smart agriculture. These up-and-coming farmers have opportunities to reshape agrarian practices toward equitable, sustainable farms and food systems, and Pasa Sustainable Agriculture is showing them how that’s possible.

 

Lindsay McKee, Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship Program manager for Pasa, affirms that nurturing new generations of farmers is crucial. “Who’s going to feed us?” she asks. “Farmland is disappearing, and what land is available is often too expensive for new and beginner farmers to access. There are so many first-generation farmers interested in feeding their communities—that means no family farm to take over. They need education, experience, access to capital, and a community support system to succeed.”

 

Pasa, based in Harrisburg, is a nonprofit that uses farmer driven education and research to support environmentally sound farming and socially just food systems. Their farmer apprenticeship programs for farmers and mentors are peer-to-peer opportunities open to aspiring, beginning and experienced farmers that want to learn about regenerative land management, protection of natural resources, and fostering local communities.

 

The Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship, an 18-month program, takes participants through two growing seasons. Apprentices receive more than 3,000 hours of on-the-job training and complete 300 hours to technical coursework. Apprentices work closely with their mentor farmer to train in all facets of running a farm, including crop planning and propagation, soil health, field preparation, irrigation, and weed, pest and disease control.

 

“Thinking about your farm as a whole system is an important approach to sustainable agriculture. As an organization, Pasa encourages our new and beginner farmers, and all farmers, to think about how their practices will impact the health of their land, their businesses, their communities and future generations,” notes McKee.

 

Learning In the Field and Beyond

 

Because a farmers’ work doesn’t stop after the harvest, apprentices also learn about marketing and product distribution, equipment and machinery maintenance, and business management. The apprenticeship pays a progressive wage that increases as the apprentice’s skills advance.

 

Apprentice Brittney Pheobus of Raven Rock Forest Farm considers herself a “farmer once removed.” Her grandmother grew up on her family farm in the Damascus area of Maryland but left the farm after getting married. Their farmland has since been developed into a residential neighborhood.

 

When Pheobus and her partner decided to start farming, it took them a while to find affordable land. They are now settled in the mountains of Maryland close to where Pheobus’ family started farming generations ago.

 

Pheobus had researched many different farming and food production styles and found Pasa's work-and-learn apprenticeship model appealing. She was able to earn income while learning on the job from experienced farmers in her region, which made it more attainable.

 

Farming can be lonely, isolating work, and Pheobus found it helpful to connect to small-scale, local farmers whom she met through her Pasa apprenticeship and through the larger Pasa farming network. 

 

“I was able to work alongside farmers that were practicing no-till growing at a scale that I felt was achievable for me, while still producing a large amount of wholesome food for their local community. I formed close relationships with these farmers who shared not only their farming knowledge and experience, but also their community of other supportive farmers in the area.”

 

She learned how to trouble-shoot irrigation problems, how to pivot when a crop plan doesn't work out, and how a farmer's career revolves around a lifetime of learning and improving.

 

Farmer mentors also benefit by sharing knowledge and having a pre-qualified employee invested in learning. Host farmers must have a minimum of five years farm management experience, a commitment to sustainable farming practices and willingness to support an apprentice.

 

“Our mentor farmers get access to a pool of driven and committed potential employees who come with at least a year of experience. We offer annual trainings for them on topics like communication, employee management, balancing training and production. They become an integral part of the Pasa community,” McKee explains.

 

Farmer Jennifer Glenister purchased New Morning Farm from long-time owners and farm founders Jim and Moie Kimball Crawford, who had practiced organic vegetable production since 1972.

 

“The birth and continuation of the Pasa community has been a tremendous support for them through the years. I met Jim and interviewed with him for a New Morning Farm apprentice position at the 2009 Pasa conference,” Glenister says.

 

Glenister had chosen to pay it forward and participate as a farmer mentor. “Participating in the Pasa apprenticeship is win-win,” she affirms. “Our apprentices get more education, support, and a broad cohort and network. As a mentor, I get support, training, help in training apprentices—especially on the ‘book work’—and great apprentice candidates.”

 

Glenister cites Pasa’s talented apprentices as key to her farm’s success over the last five seasons. “I always learn something new from apprentices. The pre-apprenticeship program is also critical, giving people of all ages a chance to experience vegetable farming. Those who love it may then move into the full apprenticeship.”

 

Pasa’s Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship offers a guided journey toward managing or starting a pastured dairy farm. The program was founded in 2010 by Wisconsin dairy farmers and is the first nationally registered farming apprenticeship in the country. It has expanded to several states, including Pennsylvania.

 

For those that want to explore a career in farming but have no farming background, the Diversified Vegetable Pre-Apprenticeship builds upon the duties and skills taught in the Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship through hands-on learning opportunities.

 

Pasa partners with many area nonprofits to provide opportunities through the Pre-Apprenticeship, including Truelove Seeds, The LEAF Project, Grow Pittsburgh, Crop & Kettle, and the Ross Student Farm at Penn State.

 

The Diversified Vegetable Apprenticeship is registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor.

 

Pasa works year-round to offer farmer driven education events, food systems equity work, policy reform, climate smart practices, and soil and financial benchmark studies. Their annual conference helps foster sustainable practices.

 

The 2025 Pasa Sustainable Agriculture Conference takes place February 5 through 7, in Lancaster. Speakers include Jamie Elizondo from Real Wealth Ranching, and Indigenous musician, scholar and community organizer Dr. Lyla June Johnston.

 

More than 80 educational sessions will cover topics such as agroforestry, market gardening, cover seed crops, soil health, biodynamic farming and holistic grazing. The event promises social and networking events for farmers from all backgrounds and experience levels. A trade show will highlight the latest in agricultural products and services.

 

Pasa Sustainable Agriculture is located at 1631 N. Front St., in Harrisburg, and at 5300 Whitby Ave., in Philadelphia. For more information, call 814-349-9856 or visit PasaFarming.org.