Fund a Future Farmer

EarthDance’s Apprentice Scholarship Fund

What is the value of the ability to grow your own food? And what would it mean to you if you had to choose between buying groceries or paying your bills?

Each season, the donors who contribute toward our scholarship program, Fund a Future Farmer, offer low-income participants a hand-up as the apprentices learn to grow their own nourishing food. 

The full cost of operating the apprenticeship is approximately $5000 per apprentice. The tuition of $1250 for the full season, which includes a weekly share of the harvest, does not cover the program’s true costs.  To enable this critical agricultural education, EarthDance seeks partners in the community who recognize the value of growing new farmers and gardeners from all walks of life.

EarthDance is pleased to recognize our donors for their generosity.  Businesses, groups, or individuals who cover the full cost of educating an apprentice —$5000—are recognized through a ‘named’ scholarship to a deserving aspiring grower. Please contact Development Director Rachel Levi at rachel@earthdancefarms.org to discuss this option. 

You can also contribute to the Scholarship Fund with a gift of any size.

Make a difference in an aspiring farmer’s life and donate today!

Read scholarship recipient James Young’s open letter to his benefactors:

To EarthDance’s Scholarship Donors,

The EarthDance Apprenticeship has been an experience that has and will continue to shape and change the course of my family’s future. Although I was the apprentice I feel that it truly became a life-changing episode for the entire family. We have been looking for ways to live simpler and healthier lives and the apprenticeship has been an essential piece of our growth.

The weekly CSA became a treasure as we discovered a taste for things we would not have had exposure to otherwise. Our children began to pick favorites early on from Swiss chard to sugar snap peas. This has been a true blessing as we have struggled as a family with multiple food allergies, dwindling diet choices and limited resources. I believe EarthDance has given me the inspiration and skills to go in the direction of becoming more self-sustainable: growing food that we could not otherwise afford on a regular basis. My plans for the future of my newly acquired skills have already begun. I was recently able to purchase a slightly rusty but affordable tiller with which I have started to till beds in my backyard for growing next spring. My short-term goal is to grow enough food to support my family and share with friends. My long-term vision or “dream” is to operate a small family farm. The best part of this entire experience would have to be the people I have met while learning and growing at EarthDance. I especially appreciate the excellent teaching and organizational efforts that are made by the entire staff. Additionally, I was able to work alongside others who were concerned about the stewardship of the great gift that we call earth. It has been an honor becoming part of a community of growers.

Sincerely,

James Young