If you are considering pursuing certification through the North American Biodynamic Apprenticeship Program, send an e-mail to the Central Program Coordinator, Kimberly Barnes, at info@bdtraining.org. Kimberly can answer any questions that the website doesn’t answer, and can guide you towards farms that can provide you with experience in your specific areas of interest. Even if you already have an idea of which farms you will apply to, introduce yourself to Kimberly so she knows you are beginning the application process.

To enroll formally in the Apprenticeship Program, you must first be accepted as an apprentice at one of the participating mentor farms. Begin by taking a look at the Participating Mentor Farms page on our website. These listings will give you basic information about the farms in the program, including starting times for apprenticeships and contact information for both farms and regional coordinators. Each farm’s Skills Checklist is posted here as well, so you can get an idea of what you might learn at each farm.

For the farms that interest you, go ahead and make inquiries about openings for apprentices, either by e-mail or by phone. Usually a farmer would like to see your resume and a letter of motivation. When possible, it’s a good idea to arrange a visit to the farm as well. If you’re looking at a few farms in one region, you should contact the regional coordinator there. During your on-farm training, the regional coordinator will be an additional source of support and guidance for you, and it will help to introduce yourself if you think you might end up apprenticing there.

Once you’ve been accepted as an apprentice, you will need to sit down with your mentor farmer and go through the Skills Checklists, agreeing together about which of the skills you will be learning during your time at the farm. Now you are ready to officially enroll in the program! You can download an application form here.